False Pretense
by Sahara1256
Summary: Hargrove is defeated, but he had a contingency plan to fall back on. Even in death he'll see the Reds and Blues fall, if even at the risk of bringing more past transgressions of his to light. He reactivates a special forces team he had on stand by, a carbon copy of Project Freelancer,but more unstable. More mayhem as new friendships are formed and new and old bad guys team up.
1. Prologue

Prologue

 _To the Captain of the Elysium ;_

 _I_ f _you are receiving this message, it means that I have failed on Chorus, and would like to initiate a post failure fall back. Aboard your ship I have had a decommissioned group of Special Forces soldiers, much like they're counterparts of Project Freelancer aboard The Mother of Invention, and I would like to put them back into action. Seeing as you are viewing this I will not be able to debrief in person or in live time, so I have prepared an attached recorded debrief of the mission they will be assigned. To my understanding they have been in Cryo_ _geneic_ _stasis since the break down of Project Freelancer, so they should have no knowledge of the message sent out by the Reds and the Blue and the people of Chorus. I have set aside the payment and have sent an attachment for you to contact a confidant of mine for you to procure your pay to see this through._

 _I want these supposed heroes to pay, and I want them to do it at the hands of something I feel they have gotten comfortable forgetting._

 _Best of luck. Do not fail me._

 _Chairman Hargrove._

* * *

A red light flashed through the cryo-pod chambers of the _Elysium_ , a feminine computer voice echoed the warning of the inevitable reawakening of those set in a frozen slumber for many years.  
The ice pulled away in spider-web cracks and steady breaths fogged the glass. 10 pod doors released and the hiss of the frigid air hit the room temperature air and created a floating, eerie mist about the chamber.

" _Pods released. Passengers, you have_ _just awoken from a cryogenetic stasis. You will be tired. Exit your pods slowly. You will start to regain normal bodily functions within half an hour to forty-five minutes. Do not over exert yourself for that time duration. Waking duration may vary from passenger to passenger..._ " the voice boomed. It played on repeat.  
It was abruptly cut off by a clearing of someone's throat.

"Agents Nevada, Alabama, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, good morning. Welcome back to service." The man over the loud speaker announced. "Once you all have acclimated back to being awake again, I have a mission debrief waiting for you in the Captain's quarters. You will find all of your belongings in your lockers where you have left them. I hope you will have no qualms with being reacquainted with them so soon. I look forward to seeing you soon." the click severed the announcement in the chambers. A few of the agents already started exiting the pods and rejoining members of their crew, discussing the weird sensation of waking from cryo.

A young woman with copper colored hair fixed her gaze forward and was blinking rapidly, attempting to readjust her vision.

"You OK Nevada?" A blue eyed man with dirty blonde hair and still relatively tan skin despite the cold leaned over the pod.

"Just getting readjusted. Lambda and Psi are an excitable pair." The woman, Nevada, answered. "I assume Upsilon is also coming back online and dying for your attention." She added smirking as she rubbed her eyes and reached to exit the pod, clumsily floating out not realizing the gravity was not engaged. The man shrugged as he grabbed Nevada's arm and pulled her towards him, avoiding incredibly close contact. "C'mon Arizona, Upsilon not bothering you?"  
"He never shut down during the cryo. He's just excited I can actually respond now." He chuckled.

"Lambda and Psi are itching to get some use here soon, I want to see what our mission is, since they didn't disclose it to us before we went under." Nevada answered.

"Hey Love birds!" Two guys called to the pair lingering at the pod. Nevada and Arizona both turned their attention to the comrade.

"What Alabama?" They asked in the same bored unison.

"We can't do anything without our _fearless_ leader if she's too busy trying to catch up flirting with you Arizona! C'mon get her pretty ass in gear!" Alabama taunted. Nevada smirked.

"This fearless leader is gonna kick your sorry ass in the next training round for that comment. C'mon Arizona, let's get a move on." Nevada tried to propel off from him and realized her limbs weren't too ready to move yet and Arizona caught her.

"I got you ' _fearless leader'._ Always like you, not thinking of yourself but your team trying to rush shit." Arizona propelled forward with his arm over her waist. Nevada rolled her eyes.

"Fiiiine." she groaned.

* * *

A pair of eyes was watching intently down into a small canyon, known as Crash site Bravo to most who inhabited it or passed through it on a regular basis, with nothing but thoughts of vengeance on his mind.

How could these guys have beaten him? It all happened so fast, and the fall was the second most terrifying thing he could have conjured for his supposed end.

The first one being at the hands of one particular individual he was always in close proximity to.

He was determined to not speak too much this time, or to even take his time executing a plan to get back at the reds and blues.  
He was going to make sure that they all had a proper end. A soldier's end. Especially for those annoying freelancers.

On the second thought, he might make them suffer. Who knows, it just depends on the mood he gets in by the time he finally has a trigger to pull and blow their fucking brains out.

All he could wonder at this moment watching them letting his blood boil under his armor was…

" _If they are working together, why do they have separate bases_?"

* * *

A/N. This is the first fic I have honestly worked on in a long time, I've had a long break from this because of work/school and I'm hoping to keep myself sane writing this new fanfiction. I recently finished binge watching all the seasons of RvB up to Season 13 and the mini series, and I felt rather inspired to push this through. Please let me know what you think of it, I have a lot already outline and I can't wait to publish more of it.  
-Sahara


	2. 1) Ain't that a Bitch

Chapter One  
Ain't that a Bitch

Carolina sat with her feet overhanging in the Blue's makeshift base at Crash site Bravo, looking over the setting sky.

She just got done repeating Epsilon's video for what seemed like only the second time, but in reality was reaching unhealthy obsessive numbers. It wasn't fair, they did all that work to get him back, and to shape him to who, or what he was before and now they have to dig him out yet again. Despite him not wanting to come back, usually. There seemed something different about this time.

Like he didn't like who, or what, he had become. His personality and such. Or perhaps he wasn't comfortable with computing as an AI in the state he was in, after all she had pushed him to the absolute brink and the armor failed without him, nearly killing her. Maybe he needed a hard reset? Or maybe he is gone for good like everyone else in her life…

She slammed her fist down hard on the roof and it shook the entire base. Audible "What the fuck" from the various Blues in the base chorused after the initial thud.

" _Ain't that a bitch..."_ She muttered aloud.

"How many times are you going to replay that video?" Washington approached from her six.

"As many times as it takes for me to understand why." she replied angrily.

"You can't keep bothering yourself with it, Dr. Grey is working on a way to see if we can't get him back. She's a fucking GENIUS, we'll get him back." Washington insisted.

"Wash," Carolina started. Washington looked over at her. "What if he just doesn't want to? What if he really doesn't care about us?" Washington scoffed.

"Man, maybe you should let Dr. Grey give you some of that psychoanalysis she's always ranting about. Carolina, if he didn't care about us, do you think he'd even bother to leave that message?" Washington argued. "Now give up on this whole being isolated on the roof bit and come in. Tucker and Caboose are taking cooking lessons from Donut and I refuse to die alone." He said smacking Carolina on the back in a friendly manner.

"Fine Wash. You convinced me. I'll come join and die an honorable death eating their cooking once I watch the sunset." Carolina chuckled a little as she spoke. This made Washington feel a bit better.

"Good talk." He said sincerely heading back into the base. As he entered through the doorway Carolina caught the tail end of Tucker getting frustrated and yelling at Caboose. Carolina sighed and turned back to the sunset at the horizon.

* * *

 _Welcome back to consciousness Project Revenant. I hope you all had a pleasant experience under the cryogenetic stasis, and are feeling at peak combat condition._

The image of Malcolm Hargrove on the screen seemed very perturbed and solemn.

 _If you are viewing this, this means I have passed because I failed in an attempt to clear my name with a group of slanderous rebels who_ _have sabotaged our colonization of a planet, and excavating precious artifacts to further our understanding of the technologies at our disposals. They raised a rebellion against my defensive forces and sent out a propagated message across the galaxy, lying and claiming that we were trying to exterminate the people of the planet Chorus by manipulating a civil war. How preposterous and heinous._

"Wouldn't be the most heinous thing we've seen." Alabama chimed. Nevada shushed him. "What? I'm just saying, Monty is an example of worse than that!" He persisted.

"Alabama if you do not hush I'll let Montana prove you right." Nevada threatened. Alabama threw his hands up in sarcastic defeat. Montana cracked his knuckles through his armor.

 _I have called on you to avenge my name and my men. To my knowledge the hellions had taken out my two best hired guns. I trust you are better than them. I can trust in my leads that you as a group are efficient and can swiftly eliminate these nuisances from the planet and their brain-washed army._ _You should be able to land this ship on Chorus and have no issues infiltrating. I believe you as a team can find a way to take them out. Godspeed._

The video ended. Their captain walked around to in front of them and cleared his throat.

"So the mission objective is to take them out. There is a fair amount of money in it for each of you. If you should succeed in this endeavor you will each be rewarded your cut, and free to disband or find employment elsewhere." he instructed. "Wherever we touch down will be referred to as home base, we won't be able to get too close to where the inhabitants are without being seen, we still aren't even in Chorus' orbit quite yet. So you have at least a week to regain normalcy from the cryo and to brush up on your skills. We have a small gym on board, and one simulator. I'm sure Nevada could delegate time to your practices as she used to." he said gesturing to her as she still remained fixated at the video monitor. "You with us, Miss Sierra?"

"Why are we being hired to take out this man's vengeance? I for one, speaking candidly, feel as though we are putting ourselves at risk of death for a man's pride. That's not usually what we are hired to do, if we are hired at all." Nevada explained.

"Nevada has a point here." A dark haired and tan complexioned individual stated with a very southern drawl to his voice. "We are used to locate and destroy, or locate and attain, but with the premise that there is some other greater good to it, not some guy's pride."

"Oklahoma, did the words "money" and "freedom" mean nothing to you in Captains debrief? We could quit having to be hired on as a group, or be stuck receiving orders. We could finally think for ourselves, instead of fighting for places on a board or some stupid idealistic bullshit about leaving the universe better for some other ass-holes after us." Alabama elaborated.

"I cannot believe I am saying this, but I agree with Alabama." Montana said with his arms across his chest.

"Atta man Monty!" Alabama said giving him a friendly and light punch to the shoulder.

"Don't touch me again." Montana practically growled.

"OK sheesh just glad someone's on the same page as me." Alabama said with the signature of his defeat shown by his throwing his hands down.

"But, I do agree with Nevada," another girl with wavy black hair spoke up. "It seems odd we've been hired on by this man, and he seemed to know a lot about our team just off of heresay."

"Agent Kansas, I assure you that he did intensive research on the team before hiring us because he wanted to find a group good enough for the job at hand. After all this was programmed for after his death." The captain elaborated. Nevada honed her gaze on him, arms crossed and looking displeased.

"It seems as though you have already accepted said large lump sum for the advance pay. What I want to know is, was this the mission we were put under cryo for so urgently, or did this come up because funds were running low?" Nevada inquired stoically. "I see where Alabama and Montana are in their thinking, and believe me I'm tired of orders too Al," she said looking over at him. "But somethings aren't adding up and I'm a bit suspicious." She said. The captain nodded and sat in thought for a moment.

"Essentially the top secret mission you were assigned to is coming up next, this one came in under distress and after crunching the numbers and discussing it with control, this one could be completed and we can could forgo the other mission due to the change in severity of the crisis as time passed while you were in stasis." He answered, almost rehearsed. Nevada shook her head.

"I guess the wage is going to outweigh any disagreements we have with why we are going on this mission, so let's re-group for actual planning tomorrow, take today to rest and regain some semblance of being a group, and we will go from there." Nevada looked around at everyone. "Sync?" She asked.

"Sync." They all replied. Some more reluctant than others.

"Captain I need all the information you can provide me with these guys, and the planet we are going to so I can plan how we are going to land, and take them out. I want this over as quickly as possible for the teams sake." Nevada barked. "Please send it to my quarters tonight so that I can look over it for tomorrow."

"Yes m'am."

They all dispersed as she was speaking to the Captain. Kansas, Arizona, and Oklahoma hung back and waited to speak with Nevada. Missouri, Illinois, Ohio and Oregon told them they were heading to the mess hall and Alabama, alongside Montana were leading that pack without a second glance to their teammates.

"Well, this still doesn't sit well with me." Kansas said. Nevada shook her head.

"Me too Kansas." Nevada added.

"We were rushed into those pods for that mission, and now we wasted how long in that Cryo? For this man's payback at a set price? Something's not right." Arizona said.

"Let's just do this job and get out as quickly as possible. How bad could these ragtag insurrectionists possibly be?" Missouri chimed in.

"I'm looking over the nitty gritty tonight. We'll see how simple this will be tomorrow." Nevada said confidently. Oregon chuckled a little. "What's so funny Oregon?"

"I was just thinking, what if these guys aren't as easy as we seem to think, for that guy to have us as a last resort. Wouldn't that be a bitch?"

* * *

"What the fuck am I even eating Caboose?" Tucker exclaimed taking a bite of the stew they were working on. "It tastes like dog food!"  
"How do you know what dog food even tastes like?" Washington asked. "Wait, I take that back, I don't want an answer if you have one.

"Oh my god Caboose why is there a can of dog food by the stove?" Donut came out of the kitchen with a kiss the cook apron on. He gasped before speaking again as if he came to the answer himself. "Did we get a puppy!?" He asked excitedly.

"No, no. I was heating up the can for Freckles!" Caboose explained as if the explanation was enough to acquit feeding an alien assault rifle with a killer robot programmed into it.

"Let me go let Carolina know we are gonna have to find Kimball and go over the rations." Washington said to Tucker as he tried desperately to wash the taste of Alpo from his pallet.

"Hold on I'm coming with!" He said sounding like he was trying hard not to use his tongue. He threw his helmet back on and left with Washington and caught Carolina coming back down into the base.

"Come on Carolina there is no food for us here. Donut and Caboose are not allowed in the kitchen anymore." He said in passing.

"I mean, I could have told you that." Carolina replied sarcastically.

"Thanks for the heads up Madame Fortuna." Tucker said. "Now because we don't have your gift of future sight, we gotta go bother Kimball for some more rations. Or go bother the Reds for a cup of sugar or something." Tucker bitched. Carolina laughed as he and Washington continued that conversation out of the door, about why a cup of sugar and shook her head.

"Well, ain't that a bitch."

* * *

 _ **I hope you guys have liked it so far, I'm trying very hard to keep the characters in character as possible, and not include just my OCs. Up next I am going to include the reds a bit more, and try to get to the big parts of the plot and try not to drag it out too much with the in between fluff.**_

 _ **Please review and let me know how you are enjoying it :) I look forward to updating more!**_

 _Sahara_


	3. 2) Psycho-mumbo-jumbo

**Chapter Two**

 _Psycho-mumbo-jumbo_

Nevada watched the video of Malcolm requesting their assistance over one more time. She requested the faulty distress call the Reds and the Blues made out to the entire universe as well. Top that off she demanded the Captain work twice as hard as necessary for his position and found her files on each of these men and their associates.

She was not taking chances. Not when it meant freedom to some of her teammates.

What she learned was shocking and somewhat appalling.

"How in the actual hell have these guys lived this long…" She asked aloud. She rubbed her eyes and sighed as she pulled up the holo of Chorus on the table in her quarters. She shoved her hair that was falling in her face back behind her ears and focused on what she was looking at. Lambda and Psi chattered in her mind.

" _We could find cover by hiding in the colder, higher peaked regions on the planet. It would also give a low chance of them pursuing your ship when it lands._ " Lambda suggested.

 _"Or you could land nearby and infiltrate by pretending to be rescue. Send out a response to the video, and presumably take charge of their rescue in the eyes of the public. The Diffusion of responsibility principle in social psychology should apply well here._ " Psi mentioned.

"Both of you are suggesting good plans, but I don't know how long of a charade Alabama or Montana could hold in that scenario. Also, would we have to claim to be with the UNSC or pretend to be some other form of authority to be trusted? I'm sure with Hargrove being the chairman of Charon industries, this has become an all out controversy and it won't be easy to win over relations with them by swinging in and saying 'hey guys we're here to rescue you!'." Nevada fell back down on her bed and heaved another sigh. "Psi, there was no information readily obtainable about two of the members of the ragtags listed. I found their names...concerning." She started.

" _Would you like me to expand our searches to all databases?_ " Psi responded.

"Please."  
" _Which members?"_ Psi inquired.

"Carolina, and Washington."

" _Certainly. Running search now._ " Psi seemingly hopped into the holo in front of him and made it a point to trace back what he could. Nevada gave him an indefinite amount of time before returning with something usefull.

"Lambda, I need a full scan of the planet. I want to know the point where we can land with the least interference in the most amount of time from touchdown to commute from the ragtags location."

" _On it."_ Lambda confirmed doing the same as Psi.

A knock came at her door.

"Enter at own risk." She groaned through her hands. Arizona presented himself in her doorway.

"May I disturb you?" He inquired sarcastically.

"Please do. It's not like this mission hasn't beaten you to it." Nevada let her hair fall back in her face. Arizona approached her holo and nodded a bit.

"See there's a reason you lead the team. I can't stare at this shit for more than 10 minutes without fucking losing it." He said crossing his arms. "I guess I won't get a sneak peak to this mission this time?"

"You guess correctly. I don't need anyone hearing about this without my sense made into it. I'm considering every angle, every team member, theirs and ours..." She used her hand to change the angle Chorus in the holo appeared at. "Two of their members aren't sitting well with me. I may personally deal with them myself, with the help of Montana. We are best suited to taking these two down by the looks of it. We are gonna need a very well planned and well executed strategy for a group this extensive." She looked at Arizona and made eye contact. He didn't break her gaze. "The ragtags have a great amount of luck on their side by the looks of it." She laughed a bit. "I would love to experience this with as little time involved at all cost. More time on luck's side is more chances for us to fuck up."

"I'm sorry who are you and what have you done with my fearless leader?" Arizona chuckled. "Last I checked you didn't believe in luck, just an unlikely set of circumstances taken advantage of by a person or persons."

"I don't believe in luck. But I'd be lying if I didn't find this entire group suspicious. They have two members of their group that don't sit right with me, and it is uncanny to be this fortunate in this many, pardon me for lack of a better term, _imbecilic_ endeavors." Nevada clicked open the news broadcast sent by what appeared an AI again.

"Is that what I think it is?" Arizona asked incredulously.

"Yup." Nevada answered in a bored tone. "I have Psi on it now. He seems attached to one of the two I was concerned with." Nevada looked at Arizona, puzzled.

"What?"  
"You said Upsilon didn't power down in the cryo. What'd you mean?" She asked. Arizona stepped through the threshold into her quarters.

"What I mean is he didn't stop working because I was incapacitated like I was led to believe. Lambda and Psi clearly took vacation like they were supposed to, but Upsilon kept flooding my brain with images and feelings. Things that felt like flash backs, or deja vu in a way. Like I had seen it before or thought of it. Funny thing was is I didn't recognize any of it." Arizona elaborated. "I asked others, and no one else dreamed while we were under."

"When we complete this mission and get our payments, we may be able to afford that shrink you desperately need." Nevada said. "I feel like every time I talk to you about unconscious anything you need psychoanalysis."

"Psychoanalysis is bullshit I just need some spirits and a nice girl and I'd be cured!" Arizona protested in a playfully manner.

"So says the guy who needs it. Listen, I would want nothing more than to play catch up and talk about these crazy dreams you've had, but at this rate I won't get to enjoy my front row screening of them behind my eyelids tonight at this rate, I need to get back to this." Nevada gently pushed for him to leave her be. Arizona nodded.

"Ten-four. Take care of yourself. If I come back in an hour and you're not in bed lying still and dreaming of that cash out I'll personally see to it that you get off that holo and put your head on that pillow." He said opening her door.

"Good night, and I'd like to see you try." Nevada retorted. Arizona waved and Psi came back online once he exited the doorway and the quarters door closed.

" _I have found information on Agents Carolina and Washinton._ " Psi stated blandly.

* * *

Washington and Carolina headed towards the Red's base which was nearest the original crash site of their ship, ultimately leaving them stranded on Chorus and involved in this drama in the first place.

"Hey, while we are here, think we could check on Epsilon?" Carolina inquired. Washington sighed.

"I mean, I don't see why not. But I'd say it might be the same old same old." He responded. "Just Dr. Grey trying to decode and decipher the data in the helmet."

"Who knows. Maybe today was the breakthrough and we are closer to having him back." Carolina added.

They entered the base to hear Griff and Simmons arguing over some MRE rations and decided to take it upon themselves to acquire some from both piles and walk away while they were bickering. Sarge was with Dr. Grey in one squared off area.

"Any news Dr. Grey?" Carolina asked.

"Nope! Sorry, nothing notable to report. Epsilon has done a number on hiding this time." Grey said in her default cheery tone. Carolina sighed.

"Roger that." She replied.

"Don't be so disheartened Carolina!" Sarge ordered. "After all Dr. Grey here fixes everything! Except maybe Griff's awful disposition...but NONETHELESS she has not really rested since receiving commission to bring our little blue friend back! Why we want him back, I'll probably never understand."

"Thank you Sarge, your speeches are always uplifting." Carolina sarcastically remarked as she and Washington turned around and headed back to the Blue base.

"What seems to got her so down?" Sarge asked, most likely rhetorically.

"I am not at leisure to disclose my psychoanalysis with any person or persons that is not my patient." Dr. Grey answered unabashedly.

* * *

 _ **Sorry to cut it so abrupt with the Reds and Blues, I'm still trying to get a better feel for writing with this many characters involved, also that I want to push out as many details with the newer additions to get it out of the way to kind of usher in the real action, and have characters introduced to one another. I can't wait to get there and publish it :) Hope you guys enjoy and that I'm not screwing any important aspects up yet!**_


	4. 3) Bullshitiest Bullshit

**Chapter Three**

 _Bullshitiest Bullshit_

Carolina and Washington walked back up to the based with Tucker greeting them at the door.

"Please tell me you guys grabbed one for me?" He asked pointing to the MREs in their hands.

"Nope. Sorry buddy, gotta go grab yourself one." Wash answered.

"This is bullshit." Tucker muttered as he headed past them to the Red base.

"You know what's really bullshit? Is Epsilon-" Carolina began before Washington interrupted.

"Don't. Just don't finish that sentence. What's bullshit is how obsessive that is getting for you. Dr. Grey is doing her best, and Epsilon as we have seen is thoroughly excellent at getting away for a long time. Don't dwell on it. It will be solved. Just not overnight." Washington said. Carolina stared blankly at him for a moment.

"I think I'll take my dinner in my quarters tonight." She said walking off. Washington sighed.

"This is bullshit." He muttered.

* * *

Nevada pulled the holograms of Chorus up on the analysis table in the Captain's debrief room in the ship. She pressed a few more buttons and emphasis was given to the mountains near the former city of Armonia, Crash site Bravo, and a few of the temples.

"Alright team, after putting much thought into how to come at this mission, I've decided one of the best routes to take is avoiding contact until we are ready to thoroughly eradicate the Reds and Blues, as well as the inhabitants of Chorus. For this to work we cannot go the route of pretending to be a rescue party. It is is too involved and too many variables could cause utter disaster and ultimately the mission." She began. Alabama cleared his throat.

"Why can't we infiltrate and pretend to be rescue, get easier access to them and kill them that way?" Alabama inquired.

"Because if we did that we would then ultimately not complete the mission to the fullest. It is not only the Reds and Blues we are after, but the other inhabitants. The quickest and most effective method would be to lay low, break into pairs and conduct guerrilla tactical maneuvers when finally ambushing." Nevada explained further.

"But infiltrating under guise that we are rescue would be the _fastest_. Get in, get out, get paid." Alabama retorted.

"But infiltrating would leave us surrounded once we decided when to move. On top of that for us to not literally get in and get out, we would have to sabotage our own ship to keep us there long enough and not have a means for escape for them as well. Do you want to commit to not having a way out if shit hits the fan?" Nevada was growing impatient.

"Well, you're worried about being surrounded, what about that whole nonsense about pairs and attacking?" He pried.

"If we attack from tactical vantage points we wouldn't need to worry about being overpowered by fast numbers. They have quantity over quality while we have them on quality. I also foresee some fight back from the rag tag team of Simulation troopers." Nevada added.

"If we go in, start killing people, then they start fighting back, and then everyone starts killing everyone and that means one of us could get killed over something as stupid as an amateur move like 'we're here to rescue you but not really'. That's just a hot mess." Missouri spoke up.

"Thank you, Missouri." Nevada said rubbing between her eyes.

"So how do you propose, in this swiftest option we go about eliminating all of our targets?" Montana ushered the conversation forward. Nevada zoomed in on the mountain ranges.

"I propose we hide out here after flying in low. We scope and gather intell through observation. Once we have enough information gathered about their habits and when they will be the easiest to pick off, we move." Nevada swiped the screen blank.

"How _quickly_ is 'quickly' really, Nevada?" Oregon asked.

"This way would be a minimum of a week." Nevada scanned the faces. She saw Montana twitch, Oregon had his arms crossed and Alabama sighed. "I understand it sounds like this mission will be drawn out or take longer than necessary in accordance with our levels of patience...However I can promise this, that I don't want it to take long either, this is not my type of mission, I looked over every variable that I could visibly see, and this was the safest and quickest route."

"What variables?" Alabama pressed. Arizona was visibly becoming more irate with every insubordinate-like question he posed.

"Well," Nevada began as she brought up images of the Reds and Blues. She zoomed in on the projected sim soldier, the woman in the light blue armor, and the special designed grey and gold armored individual. She also brought up one of the blue soldiers wielding an alien sword. "For starters, that's a very autonomous AI that transferred from helmet to helmet, to my knowledge not everyone there has the proper equipment for that and he still gets around. The guy with the strange sword indicates to me that they have a stash of weapons we aren't familiar with facing. The other two on the other hand…" Nevada trailed off. "I was able to dig deep enough for their names and search more on them. I had Lambda and Psi on it for hours, and this ship has limited access but we kept pressing through firewalls..." Nevada glanced at the captain of the ship. "The soldiers names are Agent Carolina and Washington. They came from something called Project Freelancer. I know they have had training like we have had, because their project had research with AI. Looks like it disbanded and they became fugitives, and ended up with these guys in their runaway travels. I don't want to let any mistakes that could have been avoided with simple observations or precautions in place occur." Nevada said. "Dismissed."

There was silence for a moment to observe her clear frustration. She seemed more scripted than some of the missions she debriefed before back when Revenant was active before the cryo.

"This is bullshit." Alabama muttered.

* * *

"Dude, I can't believe Sarge kicked us out of the base!" Grif bitched.

"Why not? We were arguing loudly over why you seem to think you deserve most of the MRE rations we have left! Of course he got sick of hearing us!" Simmons retorted.

"What was so hard for you to understand that I need this much food? I earned it, we beat what's-his-face and now we are STILL STUCK HERE. I can't die of starvation now!" Grif insisted. Simmons groaned loudly.

"You have enough fat on you to feed the rest of us before that happens!" Simmons shouted. Tucker approached.

"Sup guys?" He greeted.

"Grif seems to think he is better than the rest of us and was hoarding most of the MRE's for himself and Sarge kicked us out because he was sick of hearing us bitch about it and disturbing Dr. Grey with the helmet with Church stuck in it!" Simmons said in one breath.

"Wow, dude, commas, breathe. Or maybe a xanax." Tucker responded unfazed by the content of Simmons' run-on sentence.

"Lucky for me I hid what I needed to before Sarge promptly kick our asses out HA." Grif laughed. Simmons basically growled and Tucker sighed.

"Son of a bitch...this is bullshit." He said, for the second time that day.

* * *

 ** _AU_ So I am hoping to keep up with my goal of at least updating once a week or so. Between classes and other responsibilities this week was a little tougher but I managed!  
I'm trying to also find things to keep these chapters longer, and I can promise once I have reached where I really want things to get interesting my chapters are gonna be so long, it might be painful haha.  
I'd really appreciate feedback! I saw my stats change and I am super excited but I wanted to know if there is anything I should try to work on or any suggestions on what to add for certain characters or general encouragement! All forms of critique are welcome :)  
I hope you enjoyed! **


	5. 4) Straight out the Gate

_**Quick lesson, the word "M'aider" in here for my non-French speakers is the term pronounced "Mayday" When people are shouting for help in disasterous military scenarios in various examples of pop culture and media.  
Just wanted to make sure no one was totally confused with that :)**_

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

 **Straight out the Gate**

Nevada stood poised in the training room aboard the _Elysium_. She crossed her arms.

"OK. We've been under for a while. Fortunately for us our directors were kind enough to bestow us a transport ship with a training facility and we have a hot minute before arriving at Chorus. We are gonna brush up on our basics. Everyone ready" She asked, her voice carrying the smirk she was wearing as she looked at her team lined up in front of her.

"Ready as we are gonna be on this heap!" Alabama announced.

"Alright, I'll break up the teams for the training session. Alabama, Montana, Oregon, Kansas and Illinois. Team 1." They all moved past her to the other side of the training arena. "Arizona, Oklahoma, Ohio, Missouri, and myself. Team 2." She said approaching the rest of them. "Mission objective; stun the enemy team members. Last man standing wins point for their team." Nevada briefly explained hitting a button on a remote in her hand. Two tables with what appeared to be stun guns placed on them raised from under the floor, and many blocks in varying heights and widths raised as well. "If this doesn't appear familiar to you, these guns have a small voltage charge and when fired will disable our armor for half a minute. This is to give you an idea of what it would be like to experience and E-M-P." Nevada began, abbreviating Electromagnetic Pulse.

"You mean an Emp!" Alabama shouted across the pillars.

"No Alabama, I do not. It is an acronym, not a word." Everyone began laughing at him. Missouri turned to Oklahoma.

"Legit, I thought it was Emp too..." She whispered. Oklahoma chuckled charging his weapon.

"For those of us with AI implants, an E-M-P," Nevada emphasized, "would be the worst case scenario. Our equipment would falter and we would lose our program. After the 30 seconds for those of us with AI, our AI are programed to go to storage with this low of voltage so we would be left offline from them until another 30 seconds have passed. We are to practice our other combat skills in case the primary gear is lost." She charged her weapon. "I encourage everyone to go ahead and check your gear now. I was informed while we were asleep our armor was upgraded. While we were in cryo Charon industries was kind enough to sell our director new armor that didn't require multiple AI for multiple pieces of equipment." She saw everyone pull up stats on their helmet monitors and sound impressed. "No holding back guys. Practice as if we were real opponents on the field." Everyone readied themselves for her call. "Let's go!" A timer went off on her call and was keeping track of how long it was going to take them to take each other out.

Nevada knew half a minute was enough time to change the tide of everything and that was truly an eternity to the types of battle scenarios they encountered.

Everyone charged into the maze like structural forest and made their own paths.

Arizona took a turn with his training pistol poised and his back against the walls. He could hear footsteps echoing at a quick pace not far from where he was, and he braced for someone to make the turn.

Alabama was acting just like himself humming what resembled _Mission Impossible_ with a light hip hop beat to it and took his turns as recklessly as he ever did.

Oregon heard the steps around the corner and activated Omicron.

"Omicron, motion detection, who's suit is it?" Oregon inquired to his AI. Omicron appeared in a very deep, dark blue color and ran analysis.

" _Appears to be Arizona. Would you like to know the best method of drawing him out?_ " Omicron inquired.

"Absolutely, send the strategy to my monitor and save it in the files for later use." Oregon answered.

Nevada heard Alabama humming incessantly and grinned. She cloaked herself and hung back behind a turn.

"Psi, release the shield when he comes near the corner." She instructed.

" _Affirmative._ " Psi responded. Alabama was telegraphing his position so badly, she was excited to take him out and give him a lesson in being a cocky son of a bitch as usual. Especially for all his commentary in the debrief earlier.

Alabama turned the corner and was smacked flat on his back by Nevada's shield. He fired his stun gun and it bounced off her shield at back at him.

"That was all for your smart ass remarks I told you I'd get you back for." She deactivated the shield. "Shit's useful. Glad we got this upgrade." Nevada bragged as she sauntered off.

"You about knocked the gold off my armor, bitch." Alabama shouted. She looked at the board and saw that Missouri had been stunned, but the rest of her squad was still standing. Then she saw Arizona's name flicker and she sighed.

" _Ugh! Arizona! Someone m'aider_!"Arizona heard Nevada's voice from around the corner after the sound of a stun gun firing and missing, sizzling as it made impact on a wall. Arizona with no hesitation turned the corner, and was immediately hit with a stun. Oregon appeared, disarming his cloaking device, his gray armor making him look that much more ghostly. He was chuckling a little bit as he heard Arizona grunting a bit in shock.

"That voice distortion is a real _bitch_ double O." Arizona groaned using his nickname. His green armor made the electrical sparks look as though they were green as well.

"You got it bad, Arizona." Oregon shook his head and headed past him.

Team 2 won the first round thanks to Nevada staying in by the skin of her teeth. Montana mistook her for Oregon when she camouflaged her armor before he fired at her.

After an hour and half of tactical runs Nevada called it and they moved on to individual workshops, and sparring.

It gave everyone a well deserved break in between the catching up.

She was glad there was at least this sense of normalcy.

* * *

Locus wandered around the Temple where they encountered the alien AI. The testing grounds. He wandered, lost in thought, starring at the portal. He wondered what the judge would say this time now, now that he abandoned Felix, the one person who he clearly was afraid of, the only thing that held him back.

He wasn't stupid to think the Reds and Blues truly defeated Felix. He watched that unfold. Felix was tenacious, and on this planet, he would be watching, waiting, and biding his time before he could strike again, either on him or the Sim troopers.

Locus found himself standing before the portal. With very little hesitation he stepped in and was transported to what appeared to be the control of a space craft. Santa was present at the controls and turned to face him.

"Did you not learn all you needed to be a true warrior?" He inquired. Locus averted his attention down for a moment.

"What is the purpose of a true warrior on a planet where he has no allies, nor real enemies?" Locus posed. "I have no options. I was a soldier, receiving orders. Now, I am a wanderer waiting for the next event to come across my path like a stone I should just simply stumble over." Locus elaborated.

"You shall find purpose again. I feel a battle beginning anew in the future, but I see you taking on better allies this war around." He said. Locus felt the surrounding simulations around him slip.

"No! Wait I still don't know-" He was cut off and forced out of the portal and back into the temple. Locus was on the ground on his hands and knees. He slammed his fist down hard on the ground and left a small crack in the ancient grounds.

He wandered further contemplating the vague prophetic words of Santa. Hours passed like moments to him.

Better allies. Better how? Better fighters, better defenses, better strategists? Better equipped? What would be better?

He avoided the pirates exiting Chorus when Malcolm failed. He had spent so long here on this wretched war torn planet he didn't quite comprehend anything else.

He stopped dead in his tracks when something caught his eye. He saw Felix, crouched down and carefully observing Crash site Bravo, in the cover of night. He was right, Felix was not going down without that much more of a fight. Locus peered off and looked at the bases and thought about the Reds and Blues in their final encounters, and how they were allies. How they worked together despite total lack of control, self-discipline, and not a single shred of soldier in most of them. He thought of how Washington spoke of the differences between themselves, and why he was no true soldier. Then he thought of all the wrong doings he realized Felix really did, all the things he himself did and wondered…

"What if this is my redemption?"

* * *

Washington was taking watch tonight, he found he was taking a lot of the watches at night. Everyone else thought him paranoid but they were all very vulnerable at this point in time. What if the pirates came back? What if someone in the ranks of the army of Chorus was desperate enough for the supplies they had? Couldn't be too careful. He heard the brush nearby the base rustle ominously. Wash readied his weapon, locking and loading his pistol.

He turned on a dime and saw nothing behind him. He set on his motion tracker and noted there was motion on the roof top.

Locus deactivated his cloaking and raised his hands.

Washington took aim at Locus.

"What're you doing here? Didn't you leave with the Pirates?" Washington demanded.

"I shall explain later, but I am not here to wage war with you and your...friends." Locus began.

"I don't believe you." Washington cocked his pistol.

"I have information for you, Agent Washington." He added. "About Felix."

"I saw him fall off the temple, no way in hell he lived!" Washington retorted.

"I can promise you this, he is alive, and well enough to exact vengeance, and I want to help you against him." Locus promised.

"How can I trust you?" Washington demanded.

"You have my word as a Soldier, Agent Washington."


	6. 5) Trust

_**Chapter Five**_

 _ **Trust**_

Washington lowered the pistol.

"I assure you that I mean that. You of all people here would understand that promise." Locus said. Wash stood there for a moment, trying to wrap his mind around the situation on hand. In front of him stood a man who walked the line of enemy and ally, deceitfully and then for one brief moment in time truthfully when he left Felix at their disposal.

"OK. You follow me, all weapons confiscated." Washington took all of Locus' weapons. He didn't argue it, nor did he seem at all agitated to part with them for the time being. Washington sighed. "Now I gotta wake everyone up..." Washington instructed Locus to follow him down stairs into the base.

* * *

Nevada stayed in the training area running whatever program she felt necessary to drain her of her energy. Arizona stayed in the control room with his legs propped up on the consoles, being careful to to hit any of the buttons. Oregon walked into the control room and saw Arizona watching Nevada with unwavering interest.

"I assure you that she has not changed since you last saw her." Oregon chuckled. Arizona shrugged.

"I'm not watching to see if she has changed at all. If it were up to me I wouldn't change her a bit, and I believe you know that better than most here at this point." Arizona scoffed. Oregon shook his head. Omicron popped up to join conversation.

" _You let your emotions out in training today. I came to discuss that with you agent Arizona._ " Omicron stated.

"Oh really now Omicron? Don't think Upsilon grated me enough after wards?" Arizona asked.

" _I am sure he did. I just came to warn you of the dangers you may face or put us up against because of your heart. It is loyal, but sacrificing your position because of such loyalty will either get you killed, someone else killed, or more than one of us killed. I'm sure Nevada would rather she die than any member of this team._ " Omicron said. Upsilon appeared in his orange and yellow shifting glow.

" _Thank you for the insight Omicron, this encounter will be saved for further analysis._ " Upsilon said before up and storing himself again.

"Omicron, you do more talking than your host there. I want to know what you think, Oregon?" Arizona asked.

Nevada finished her reflexes training and demanded the computer run it again. Oregon shook his head.

"I think that you both have some re-evaluating to do." Oregon said. "An enemy could pick up on this, and really gain an advantage." He said getting up and heading out of the control room. Arizona sighed and went back to observing her.

If he didn't have her back, who did?

* * *

"So, you mean to tell me that Locus just shows up, shows himself and basically told us that he's no longer fighting to fight, but wants to fight with us?" Tucker said with his arms crossed on the first floor of the base, facing Washington and Locus, with the rest of the crew behind him. At some point the Reds were kind enough to join and were as equally as confused as the Blues.

"Carolina, help me out..." Washington tried to whisper.

"No, no, no no no no no." Tucker interrupted. "Nah bro, you gotta defend this yourself." He added. "Locus, what makes you think you can literally walk up in here and expect to be friends?" Tucker asked.

Locus responded in silence. Washington sighed.

"Gonna help me out? I'm on a chopping block because of this." Wash insisted.

"For one, I saw Felix scoping out your bases. You are not totally safe here, especially seeing as I did sneak up on Washington effectively tonight." Locus further threw Wash under the bus. Carolina laughed.

"No kidding." She stated.

"Hey, in my defense, I was truly hoping for the rustling in the bushes to be an armadillo. I wasn't expecting this tonight either." Washington defended.

"We woke up for this..." Grif muttered.

"I mean would you rather have not woken up if Felix invaded?" Simmons argued.

"I mean if it meant not waking up yeah. That other thing I think you're insinuating, not really. Who wants that at all Simmons? C'mon, really..." Grif responded.

"Dude, Wash, I don't know whats worse, you draggin' Locus into our base at like 4:30 in the morning asking 'can we keep him?' or Caboose coming back with like every god damn robot in the canyon asking that?" Tucker posed, and right on cue Caboose pulled Freckles' trigger releasing confetti and a celebratory noise. Everyone sighed simultaneously.

"I think I can speak for myself when I say that I do not like Felix as much as the next person here does, I have more than unfinished business with my former partner. You did not deserve the pain we have made you endure on Chorus, we were only soldiers for hire following orders. I want to redeem myself, allow me to assist you further here on Chorus, until you can safely return to where you are from." Locus summed up.

Everyone stood quietly for a moment. It seemed like it was sinking in, at this godawful early hour of the morning.

"So..." Grif started. Everyone faced him. "IF Locus joins us, can he be on our team? The Blues have the Freelancers and it's like, looking pretty one-sided..."

"Grif, you numb nuts, we aren't at war with the damn Blues anymore, we can't recruit!" Sarge shouted.

"Sarge it's too early for-" Simmons said before Sarge began ranting at Grif about he should shoot him in the head for such treasonous talk. Simmons sighed.

"Then why are we still operating out of two bases?" Grif asked in distress.

"'Cause that's how it's always been!" Sarge answered.

"Ok while those guys bicker, Locus," Carolina began turning back to him. "Seeing as Wash has given you the benefit of the doubt, and taking in account how determined you were to kill each other on the battlefield not too long ago, if he could set his anxieties aside, we will let you join us, for now." Carolina answered. "If we for whatever reason feel threatened by you, we will not hesitate to eliminate you. Understood?'

"Understood." Locus said.

* * *

The Elysium was drifting towards Chorus a few days later. Nevada was in the control room with the captain.

"Nervous at all Ms. Nevada?" The captain asked. She didn't avert her gaze from Chorus nor it's map.

"No. Just ready to be done with this." She said pressing a particular part of the map. She looked at what were the cliff sides of the planet and felt as though this old abandoned base would be the best option. "Captain please note the coordinates of this location. The map doesn't offer a name for it, once we land we will give you a new name or try to see if it previously had one so that you could help us find maps or schematics based on it." Nevada requested. The location's coordinates were saved and she stepped out of the control room.

It had been a few days since their warm up training exercises, and Nevada was feeling confident about her team and herself and how quickly they were going to get out of this mission.

They were not used to such timely missions, but she had a feeling they would do just fine.

Or at least she had to keep telling herself this.

Everyone was already in the hangar, waiting to be told to board the Pelican. The Pelican had been loaded up with three weeks worth of supplies. Ammunition, and food to last them three weeks. This was the estimate she was running off of, and was hoping to be done with long before three weeks became a reality.

"OK guys, we all set?" Nevada asked as she saw the colorful array of their armor.

Oregon in his standard issue gray, Arizona with his dark green and black accented joints could easily be lost in foliage in the night time, Alabama looking like a sore thumb in his gold and black, Illinois wasn't too far off from that with his yellow and white design either, Montana in his white and black, Oklahoma in his blue with red accents, Missy complimenting his with her light blue and white, Kansas in her brown with white accents and then there was Ohio in his red with white opposing her own dark red with black.

"Yes m'am all is set and ready for take off." Oklahoma answered. "I'll be getting myself to the cockpit."

"I'll go get settled in the weapons controls." Illinois announced.

"Alright everyone let's load up. We got a mission to complete." Nevada said jogging up to the Pelican.

* * *

Caboose took the night watch with Washington next. It had been a few days since Locus had joined up with them and Wash was surprised Caboose was still around, maybe Locus had a higher tolerance for Caboose because he had to put up with Felix for so long. That had to be it.

Wash had tuned out whatever Caboose was prattling on about until he heard something over head. It sounded like something breaking through the planet's atmosphere. He looked up as Caboose started announcing: "Look Washington! A shooting star! I'm gonna make a wish what are you gonna wish for huh!?"

" _I wish that our troubles are gonna be over_." He thought. He knew that wasn't a star, but he couldn't be sure if that ship would or wouldn't spell trouble.

"C'mon Caboose, we gotta wake up the others and let them know what we saw." Washington said. Caboose shot up and was more than excited and kept listing off the things he potentially wished for, or in fact wished for on the "shooting star", and incessantly asked what he wished for. Washington sighed.

"I wish you would be quiet Caboose." He answered, and it fell on deaf ears as Caboose further announced his excitement for even Washington's wish hoping for his silence.

"That's a good wish! Good one Washington!"

* * *

 ** _AU_. So, I'm trying to pull together some of the loose ends for myself here and get this going. The next chapter I have up for debate on how the landing will go. I'm straddling the line of major comic relief RvB style with Project Revenant, or having them remain relatively serious until coming in actual contact with the Reds and Blues. **

**Also this chapter around I was trying to make up for the lack of imagery I gave some of their appearances, I realized partially through posting last night I didn't quite nail my descriptors on the armor. I'll go back and edit that here shortly.  
Hope you've enjoyed so far, if you have any opinion on how the next chapter should set the tone for the team, let me know in PM or review!  
~ Sahara**


	7. 6) Falling with STYLE

_**Chapter Six**_  
 _ **Falling...with STYLE**_

Washington tapped his foot, arms crossed and sighed pretending to check the time on an imaginary watch on his wrist as Caboose kept rambling on about the supposed "shooting star" he woke everyone up, for the second time this week, to discuss and explain that it was probably a ship. Caboose gasped part of the way through the first half of his ramblings as if he had been struck by epiphany.

"What if the shooting star brought people here to save us? Oh oh what if it brought ANGELS. I like angels. They have pretty soft white wings and stuff. Ooooh maybe it brought back ALIENS to this planet!" Caboose prattled on and everyone seemed to be patiently waiting, except for Locus, who appeared visibly to be suffering from a headache. Tucker leaned in next to him and whispered words of half-hearted encouragement.

"S'alright dude...you get used to it."  
"Alright so, this shooting star looked very reminiscent of a small space craft breaking through an atmosphere. I want to go to the old New Republic HQ to discuss with Kimball about forming search parties to go and search around where I think it crashed or the surrounding areas in case this was actually a ship, and find out more about it. This could be our ticket home, or it could be our next worst thing to happen to us. Either way knowledge is power and I'd like to know." Washington elaborated.

"Old New Republic HQ...What an oxymoron that name is..." Tucker giggled.

"I agree with Washington. I'll stay here and hold down the fort while you talk to Kimball. Safe to say you and a couple of others could totally run by there tomorrow and be back early next day and have a plan and we can be in the know." Carolina agreed.

"Also, I had a thought with what to do about Epsilon. If shit hits the fan I don't think Dr. Grey being here with us where the action might be would be best for the meta's helmet and her. So I was thinking we could relocate her while I take care of this situation at hand to the alien temple we spent some time at with the space pirates we had captured where she has access to a load of tech to help with Epsilon, and we know she will be safe in secrecy. Also if we needed any medical attention we still..." Washington trailed off averting his gaze to Doc. "We still know where she is and we can take people to her." He cleared his throat a bit.

"Wash you just said-" Doc started.

"I know what I said." Wash swallowed hard and sounded so embarrassed one could picture the blush behind his helmet. Carolina sat in thought for a moment on the idea.

"Sounds fair. If the Reds would be so kind enough to escort her and her current tool set there I feel like this would be a wise decision." Carolina was slightly hesitant. She knew Washington was suggesting this to keep the idea of Church missing out of her mind a bit more distant. Physically.

"Absolutely!" Sarge began. "We'd be honored to escort Dr. Crazy-Britches...I mean Dr. Gray to that Alien torture chamber!" Sarge preemptively promised before Simmons and Grif could groan and protest and Donut did a bit of a happy dance and excitedly declared something about packing.

The reds dispersed and Locus approached Washington and Carolina.

"I would like to head on a solo mission to check out where I believe I saw the ship land. I watched it a bit tonight, I was unable to sleep and was outside." Locus explained. "I believe it landed near an old Federal Army Outpost that Felix had destroyed while we were conducting our prior engagement here on Chorus."

"Sounds like a decent idea, except, given the circumstances we don't exactly trust you to go out on your own." Washington said eloquently. He peered around Locus and saw Tucker trying to tip toe away. "Hey Tucker, how does a mission with Locus sound to you?" Washington posed. Tucker sighed and heaved the word "Fuck" under his breath.

"It sounds unpleasant and scary Wash." Tucker responded.

"Good, cause you're going with him." Wash answered.

"Wash, you're a douche. Locus you're scary, no offense dude." Tucker stated, slouched in defeat.

"All the more reason you two will remain safe. Have fun tomorrow!" Wash waved at them as they both walked away.

"Thank you Agent Washington. I want to make sure that if it is wreckage, or survivors, Felix does not get his hands into things or people we may need on our side." Locus added humbly as he walked away. Washington nodded his head with pride and turned to Carolina.

"I'm glad he's on our side now."

* * *

Felix sat under a tree in the little foliage that there was in the cliff and rockier region of Chorus, trying to wrap his mind around the sights at Crash site Bravo over the course of the last few days.

"That prick!" He slammed his fist on the ground and rediscovered the sprain he had been nursing in his left wrist. He hissed in pain and muttered more to himself. "Fuck me!" He threw his head back. "How could he possibly want to help _them_?" Felix growled, speaking to no one in particular, entertaining the inner monologue aloud.

He saw the flash of a space craft streak across the sky and moments later experienced the impact in the ground as it landed not too far off. It was at least several miles away.

Nothing that he hadn't already walked since losing to the Reds and Blues.

"Wonder if I can beat those good for nothings to the opportunity there?" Felix posed himself as he grappled his way up from off his ass and towards the sound of the ship's impact. He began his trudging towards it, hopes high.

* * *

Illinois announced the moment they entered the first layer of Chrous' atmosphere.

"Nevada," he started. He saw her avert her attention. "Our landing won't be as quiet as you hoped it to be..." He said. Nevada unbuckled herself and carefully scaled her way towards the cockpit.

"You alright?" She asked.

"It's been a moment since I have had to enter a planet. Typically I am just dropped off where I need to be." Illinois answered.

"Would you like my assistance?" She asked.

"...Yeah that'd be helpful." Illinois answered nervously.

"Ohio swap places with me!" Nevada ordered. Ohio unbuckled from the co-pilot position and took Nevada's old spot. Nevada moved on in and buckled up, flipping switches. "Co-pilot controls are online Illinois. Relax a bit." Nevada soothed.

Nevada took control of the Pelican for the brief moments it took to get through the remaining layers of the atmosphere. They all felt the gravity shift and the barrier get left behind them as well as some of their weightlessness.

"In the clear Illnois. Got it from here?" She asked unbuckling, anticipating his answer.

"Yes m'am thank you." Illinois answered. Nevada swung out of the co pilot seat behind Illinois and the alarm system notifying them of incoming objects sounded. "Brace for impact we miscalculated the distance the cliff sides were!" Illinois shouted.

"Shit!" Nevada shouted as she grabbed the nearest handle on the stairwell of the co pilot station and held on for dear life. They graze a cliff-face and Illinois steered away and fixed the trajectory so that they could instead skid to a halt. With one of the bounces on the ground the handle came off with the sheer force Nevada was being dragged around with, she flew and slammed into part of the door frame to the back hangar, and was miraculously caught by Arizona and Alabama's quick thinking. Alabama caught her arm, slowing her down with drag and Arizona caught her across her mid-section with an outstretched arm. They slid to a stop and Nevada fell flat on her back and Arizona had practically flew out of his safety bars once it was possible. Nevada groaned and tossed the handle that was still in her grip with a light chuckle.

"You alright boss lady?" Alabama chuckled with her. She heaved a pained sighed.

"I about became a perfect example of why these damn things have safety training videos that tell you not to move around while the ship is in motion." She chuckled. Arizona smiled and laughed a bit with her as he helped her up.

"Alright, time to assess the damages." Arizona joked.

"I'm sure the ship is fine." Nevada assured. "Just an impromptu landing. Nothing Illinois or Ohio couldn't fix." She brushed it off as she hit the hangar door button.  
"I'm talking about you. You just flew into shit." Arizona tried to not show his concern but it was quite obvious.

"I'm fine, really. If I fall over later we at least know why." she brushed herself off more stepping off the Pelican. "Thank you both for at least saving me from total concussion." She said to him and Alabama.

"No problem boss lady!" Alabama faux saluted.

"Always..." Arizona muttered inaudibly. "Always got your back." He cleared his throat. Oregon nudged him in the ribs.

"Check yourself..." He whispered.

"Yeah...right."

* * *

 _ **AU**_ **: I'm excited to have gotten this far this quickly, because I have managed to find some spare time in being sick and trying to keep busy while not in class but having to be stuck on campus all day. I hope that I've been relatively true to everyone's characters, and that I have included them all enough so far (its proving difficult to maintain so many persons...) Nevertheless its been interesting to keep up with on my own.**

 **I'd appreciate some reviews letting me know how this is unfolding for everyone! I'm trying to keep these chapters lengthy enough to be substantial but at the same time not be too long or short of detail.**

 **Let me know how its been reading! Next update should be soon!**

 **~Sahara**


	8. 7) So now what?

**Chapter Seven**

 _ **So, what now?**_

Nevada stared at the ship in the waning moonlight. She tapped her foot in slight agitation as she assessed the minor damages. She watched a minute amount of smoke billow just low enough for them to remain inconspicuous.

"Hey, Ohio, Illinois." She called them over. "Can you guys give this a one look over and let me know as soon as you do what needs to be done to take care of this." She gestured to the small sparks and the significant enough damage to the hull and part of a wing.

"On it!" Ohio clapped his hands together and they both approached the ship with mixed enthusiasm.

"Monty, Oregon!" Nevada called them next. They both approached slower than the previous two. "Wanna set perimeter? If you see anything suspicious or potentially threatening shoot on sight." Nevada asked.

"Sounds right up our alley. Something to keep us occupied on something other than this ship." Montana replied.

"Have fun! Figured you two were my best options for that job." Nevada watched them wander off with their weapons drawn.

"Alabama, can you please unpack all the supplies and help Missouri and Kansas double check inventory, and write up rations portions. Also if you could scout for a good place for us to set up our quarters." Nevada elaborated for him.

"On it boss, also permission to speak freely?" Alabama bounced a bit. Nevada sighed.

"Granted...Though I have a feeling I might regret it." Nevada said.

"So remember that whole we couldn't pull off 'hey we are here to rescue you oh wait our ship is busted' scenario?" Alabama chuckled. "Guess what?" Nevada shook her head as Alabama ran past her into the Pelican.

"I'm sorry I stuck him with you but if he went with Monty, Monty or Oregon would have shot him on sight of him doing something stupid." Nevada turned to Missouri and Kansas as they followed him.

"You're good. If there is anyone else here who can handle his attitudes its us." Kansas replied waving off Nevada's concerns.

Oklahoma was the only one left outside with Nevada. Nevada sighed.

"Where'd he-"

"Rummaging for the first aid kit for you." Oklahoma said.

"OK, before he smothers me, I'm gonna go take a walk and I volunteer for first watch. You are in charge of making sure everything gets taken care of while I am away to walk off this anxiety." Nevada said loading the mag in her weapon.

"He does it because he cares." Oklahoma laughed a little bit. "I think it's cute. Besides, at least you know he's got your back." Oklahoma said as she passed by him.

"Believe me I appreciate it, but there's a reason I push myself the hardest and not you guys. I don't want first aid supplies wasted on my stupid move when one of you guys could need it more. I'll be back later, if you need me radio me." Nevada ran the opposite direction to where Montana and Oregon began. She buzzed into them and let them know she was out of the jurisdiction of "Shoot on sight".

* * *

Carolina relieved Washington from his watch duty, since he had already dealt with not only Caboose, but Locus and she saw how tired he was. They both agreed he needed to get some rest before he was going to head out to Kimball tomorrow to discuss the crash landed ship, or what he thought was a crash landed ship.

Wash stared at his helmet hanging on the wall of the make shift bunk. He sighed and turned over and averted his gaze to the ceiling. Everything was beginning to weigh in on his mind. Being stuck here, dwindling rations, Locus joining forces, Felix still alive, that unknown ship.

He laughed to himself lightly as he recalled he has Tucker working with Locus tomorrow. He only felt a little bad for Tucker, maybe this experience would be good for him. Who knew?  
Who knew anything nowadays? He felt a slight twinge of guilt wondering if Carolina was onto his plan to move Epsilon and Dr. Grey from her proximity to help her prepare for the possibility they may have to go without Church on this next chapter, and that she was up stairs on the roof of the base re-watching the damn clip Epsilon left.

" _What if I made the wrong calls_?" Washington thought to himself, he ran a hand through his hair and further fidgeted, unable to sleep. " _What if Caboose was right and that was a falling star and I'm over reacting?_ " He laughed aloud a bit and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. " _I am crazy if I think Caboose was right...Holy shit I need sleep,_ " He turned over and headed in and out of slumber.

At some point he could have sworn he heard Tucker's bitching in his dream and Locus mumbling something about proper military structure, but wrote it off as a very disturbing dream and went back to sleep.

* * *

Felix had trudged on till dawn when he finally came across the smoke, signaling he was closer to the ship that crashed.

He recognized the charred landscaping in the cliff side. It was a compound he had pinpointed with the Sim troopers when he was forced to work with the New Republic. Locus had been here and he had to sound off the warning of the C4 before Tucker downloaded all the information from their computers on their friends whereabouts. He wheezed a bit but kept on going.

After a few moments of walking he heard footsteps. He ducked behind one of the larger common rock formations that were scattered about the landscape. The footsteps halted and he heard the individual swivel and scan the area. Armor only barely making any noise in their movement. He leaned over a smidge just to get a decent glimpse of the person. He noted the dark red armor and the black accented joints on the armor.

Felix activated his covert radio. Lucky for him it wasn't damaged in his fall and recovery from him escaping that death. He tuned into the individual's radio conversation.

"Nevada, come in. Over." A masculine voice carried over the transmission.

"Loud and clear, Arizona, over." The female presented in front of Felix replied. He paused, his heart skipping a beat. That voice sounded way too familiar. Too close to home.

"Where are you? Bailed before I could find the first aid kit, I'm a little hurt." The masculine voice was oozing with sarcasm, but Felix caught the hint of concern.

"Oh? I thought I was the one in need of first aid, guess you have to bandage that hurt feeling Arizona." She chuckled in response. "I went on a walk to relieve some stress, I asked Oklahoma to tell you that."

"You're so funny. How's that walk going?" The guy, presumably Arizona, asked.

"It goes. Just looking around making sure that there wasn't anyone or anything that came running to our entrance. So far I haven't seen anything….yet." Nevada said looking over in the rock formation's direction again. She began walking towards Felix's location as Arizona chimed back in.

"Well, if you encounter anything, please don't hesitate to call." Arizona said exasperatedly. Nevada stopped right in front of Felix's rock and Felix had been holding breath. His chest was threatening collapse at his intensely beating heart. It was more than adrenaline that was flooding his system right now. His hand was poised by his knife, and it was shaking with anticipation. He was already playing the events in his head when the relief came and she spoke again.

"I have encountered a sign. Apparently we have crash landed in the Federal Army Compound 22. So mark that in our maps for me Arizona. I'll head back to the ship now. How's everything there?" She asked as she turned on her heels.

Felix tuned out of their conversation. All he did was release his held breath and yank his helmet off. He wiped away sweat, and was caused him to grimace a little bit, tears.

"Shit..." He muttered. "Fuck. Damn it, what the hell is going on? I thought you were fucking dead!" Felix hung his head and held it up by one hand. "The actual hell is going on?" He coughed a bit. "How am I supposed to fix this?"

* * *

On a cliff side far enough away, Tucker watched through his sniper rifle with intense anticipation and Locus fiddled with his covert radio frequency, and was experiencing problems. Tucker had come to the conclusion Locus had no idea what he was doing because it was fucking early, or because something broke. He didn't care which reason it was, but he was watching Felix have a melt down because a solider had just barely found him.

Which, was more than concerning since Felix was a capable fighter.

"Locus, dude, the fuck is going on? It's barely sunrise and we are here watching your ex-bff have a conniption and you caught only a little bit of what was going on? Details bro." Tucker attempted to summarize for himself.

"I caught some interesting information. Not much in the way of tactical advantage but enough to form a conclusion. Come on, if we get moving now, we should be able to catch Washington before he leaves for Kimball." Locus said turning towards the one and hardly working Warthog they had available at crash site Bravo. Chances were good Jensen had driven it before.

"Dude, I did not wake up at 4:30 in the morning AGAIN to be told nothing of what I just watched. That dude down there sent Felix into full blown panic attack that needed medication and as Dr. Grey would put it, psychoanalysis, what did that guy even do?" Tucker ranted.

"That wasn't a guy, and Felix's covert radio seems to be working just fine. That was a female soldier." Locus corrected Tucker as Tucker had stowed his sniper rifle and hopped into the warthog.

"So what the hell did she say that set him on edge?!" Tucker was getting agitated.

"It's not what she said, it's who she is. I recognized her voice. She was a former partner of ours." Locus said gruffly.

"Uh huh. Still not following." Tucker said annoyed.

"You will when we get back and I speak to Agent Washingotn." Locus said. Tucker groaned and bothered Locus the entire drive back to Crash site Bravo.

"Dude, Wash is probably dead to the world sleeping still. We got time. Tell meeee."

* * *

Carolina looked down at Washington who was sprawled awkwardly over his makeshift bunk of sheets, and snoring incredibly loud. She sighed and nudged him uncomfortably with the butt of her rifle. Nothing happened.

She jabbed him in the right thigh with the rifle instead and he woke up in a start.

"What the fuck?!" Washington asked as he regained composure and conscious understanding of his surroundings.

"I couldn't take your snoring any longer. I could hear it echo through the base." Carolina said flatly. "Also, it's 10' o'clock and I see Locus and Tucker coming back into the canyon. Should have seen them leave this morning. Tucker's struggle was real." Carolina chuckled as Wash was still waking up and looking for his helmet.

"How early did they leave?" Wash asked. Carolina laughed.

"5. Locus had to basically drag Tucker out of bed at $:30. It was priceless. They were discussing the in's and out's of proper military procedure." Carolina answered.

"Oh. Got it." Washington remembered his weird dream. "Well, I'll be right out there, I just wanna take a minute to get ready. Gonna try to shower and what not." He said sounding so enthused. The shower was a Jerry rigged system with the reclaimed water they had in the canyon. Dr. Grey had rigged a system for sanitation while they have made a more permanent stay here. Hot water was almost usually never an option.

"See ya in a few then Wash." Carolina said leaving the bunks.

Wash sighed as he stared at his helmet, wondering what today would bring to their lives again.

"So, now what?" He asked aloud, to no one in particular.

* * *

 **I have worked on this in class, like every day this week. It kept me going! Also, I finally have a really clear idea of what I have planned out for Nevada's origin story, and her connection with Locus and Felix. I'm quite excited to share that when I get there :) couple more chapters, and I'm hoping to make it all start coming together.  
** **As always I hope everyone enjoyed it, please review and let me know what you think so far!  
~Sahara**


	9. 8) Can you repeat that?

**Chapter Eight**

 _ **Can you repeat that?**_

Washington stood with the rest of the group that was present. Sarge, Simmons, and Grif had taken Dr. Grey to the alien temple off site for protection in case anything was going to go down any day soon. Locus and Tucker stood in front of them waiting for a response. From anyone at this point. There was such a sense of disbelief that no one wanted to accept the statement that just exited Locus' mouth.

"I'm sorry Locus, can you please repeat that? I feel like I misheard you..." Wash started. Tucker sighed.

"The ship that crashed here has operatives on it that have code names, resembling that of project Freelancer's agents, like yourselves..."Locus said gesturing to Wash and Carolina. "The names I heard used were Nevada, Arizona, and Oklahoma. The two operatives speaking were Nevada and Arizona. My covert radio interference is slightly damaged and we were too far for me to pick up most of the conversation with clarity, however we observed Felix as well as the female operative and the….uh...recognition of her voice is what leads me to believe why Felix was distressed."

"He was in fact the world's largest pussy at that moment guys. It was amazing to witness." Tucker interjected.

"Recognition?" Wash asked. Locus sighed.

"I too recognized her voice. She sounds like the former partner Felix and I had when we were taking up any and every odd end job we could after the war. She and Felix were….close." Locus was starting to let his awkward really show.

"By close, we talking besties, or-" Donut began asking but was briskly cut off by Locus.

"Lovers."

"Ah. Gotcha." Donut responded. "You could have just used the word _intimate_. That kinda covers the field of closer than close."

"Whatever Donut, it was still hilarious watching Felix suffer. I hate that son of a bitch." Tucker said.

"And why was he distressed, and if they were this close, why didn't he show himself and explain everything?" Carolina questioned.

"Was wondering the same thing. Also, if this is in fact who you think it is, could she be ally or foe at this moment?" Washington followed up. Locus sighed, having to re-tell this awful story.

"In short, on a mission that we were on, she took the fall, and through our journey of trying to jailbreak her, we learned she was sent off on a carrier that had reportedly been jacked, and prisoners taken. Felix, the determined son of a bitch he was did further digging, only to find she wasn't taken but sold to a very unknown buyer. We assumed her as good as dead. The trail was cold and ended there, and we could do nothing from that point on. Felix mourned." Locus summarized. "I would like to think she could be an ally, little did Felix know she and I had planned on her fall, but we did not anticipate the idea that she would have been illicitly purchased on a heavily armed prisoner transport carrier. I don't know and won't pretend to know what may have been done to get her to this point in our lives. All I know is that Felix at this point has probably lost all interest in you and refocused it on her. I can keep an eye on him myself, and thus in turn keep an eye on them. I could further find out if they are friend or foe, and easily monitor Felix's moves." Locus stated very analytically. Carolina and Washington both looked at each other for a moment, both seemingly feeling the same way and nodded.

"I like it." Carolina said. "Keep an eye on him and them. If they are anything like Project Freelancer, we might need to start running drills again." Carolina added. Washington looked at Tucker.

"Fuck. No."

* * *

Nevada sat in the cockpit of the Pelican playing with the radio controls a bit. She knew there was a way to hack back into the systems on the ship, or to remotely access files from the ship from the Pelican. She sighed. Illinois came and joined her in the cockpit.

"What's up? You've holed yourself up here for a few hours." Illinois stated. "Little unusual for you."

"Well, I was kind of playing with the computer settings in here. When we were aboard the Elysium, the Captain was really reclusive with speaking to me about the mission specs. He also gave me limited access to information. It was more manipulative work than what I was used to receiving. This has me, on edge." Nevada sighed. She unlatched her helmet and shook her copper tresses free. "I need to get a secure remote access to the files aboard the Elysium, and not have them notice and cut me off."

"How come you didn't tell the Captain no to the mission and scrub it?" Illinois asked. Nevada sighed. She had scrubbed some missions in the past or chose the solo route because their project director had a better head on his shoulders and never sent them on missions that were based on one's personal interests.

"How could I say no to an opportunity for all of us to get rich and get out? I can't make that call." Nevada said looking dejected. "But, if I can, I want to get shadey with this bitches." She said pointing up, referring to the Elysium. "Nothing has made sense we got out of Cryo, and nothing has fit together smoothly with the information they gave me. There is something odd about the two "Freelancers". There is huge discrepancies with these faulty distress signals. I can't stand doing a mission for the wrong reasons, but I want to do right by you guys and give everyone that chance to get a life outside of all this, like we all have mentioned." Nevada sighed.

"Wanna see what Ohio and I can pull off? Put us on this and we inform you under the table what's going on so you don't have to worry the others into stagnation?" Illinois answered.

"Please." Nevada heaved. The word was heavy. "I can't take it if all of you guys had doubt in my leadership or my decisions. I also know not everyone would agree with giving up this money. But, if you can transfer that all to a secure line or account somewhere, and we can get the fuck off this planet, you'd be doing us all a huge solid." Nevada added. Illinois nodded.

"I'll see what I can do boss!"

"Illinois, you and Ohio are amazing." Nevada praised.

* * *

 _ **I had more to this but didn't feel like it was quite ready to publish yet. So, I have concluded this will suffice for now :)**_

 _ **Even with the lack of reviews I seem to be doing something right if I have followers! At least I hope I am doing something right x'D**_

 _ **Should be more up by the end of the weekend! Or at least on Monday!**_

 _ **~Sahara**_


	10. 9) Clear as mud

**Chapter Nine**

 _ **Clear as Mud**_

Nevada sat atop of a rock formation not too far from the ship, but far enough to not be bothered by potential issues from the team. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze with her helemt removed and hanging on by two of her fingers. Her hair blew around her face as she stole a deep breath from the wind and held it in her lungs like treasure.

She racked her mind with the things that worried her so.

How much longer could they really manage here on Chorus? It had already been five days, they know that one of the Simulation Troopers former Freelancer allies had paid a visit to Vanessa Kimball, the current leader of the people of Chorus. They moved someone to a former alien outpost and began to "train" more.  
What was she going to do once this mission was finished, if she even wanted to finish this mission. All evidence pointed to them not needing to be here, should they have even been sent here in the first place?

What would happen to all the others?

She tried to clear her mind but she felt the stress pressing on Lambda and saw flashes of images inducing deja vu in her mind. Lambda flickered with the power fluctuation and she felt Psi lend him energy. This sort of thing occurred on occasion. This wasn't the first time, and certainly wouldn't be the last. When she started to over-think, more or less Lambda was stressed by immense amounts of rumination and anxiety.

The first time it had happened, it happened during a training exercise under Arizona's supervision and the doctors had written it off as overexertion. It had been three weeks after the AI's were installed, and she knew damn well what she had done. She had studied for their courses too hard before going to train and she saw the same deja vu inducing imagery. Sometimes it was corridors, sometimes it was a different, and distinctly smaller ship. Other times she heard other voices instead of voices belonging to those she was actually speaking to.

But of course she wasn't going to tell that to the medics.

Arizona approached the rock formation, and for the brief moment she was unaware of his presence, he took in all her features, and her absentmindedly humming and playing with a necklace she had always worn underneath her suit. He grinned and he cleared his throat removing his helmet as well.

"Joel!" She shouted surprised. "How long were you fucking standing there?" She demanded.

"Long enough if I was an enemy I'd regret killing you." He said sarcastically. "You keep going solo and you're leaving yourself a target for anyone nearby, why are you out here?" He inquired. Nevada sighed and swung her legs over to swing off the rock. She misjudged the distance of the rock greatly and didn't nail her graceful landing, but instead fell flat on her ass.

"To clear my head but we see how well that's turning out." She grimaced. Arizona leaned down and grasped her arm, and when he helped her up she had tumbled accidentally into an embrace with him. They locked eyes for what felt like an eternity to them. She looked over his features, admiringly bringing it all in. His tan complexion, blonde tresses and his sky blue eyes. One more worry inched its way to fruition. _What about Arizona? What about love?_

That's when Lambda flickered out and she flinched in pain.

* * *

Felix observed Nevada from a safe distance, and noted how much of a stalker he felt he was becoming in the last few days. Her helmet off today really confirmed it for him. This was Samantha. He fiddled with a matching charm on his own necklace he kept well hidden to, it clenched out of sight in his hand. His heart was pounding with so much emotion. Who did this guy think he was, smoothly yanking her into embrace and disturbing her peace of mind?

Felix watched her flinch and had to resist the overall compulsion that nearly propelled him forward to help her. He hated feeling helpless to her still after all this time. There was no way he could safely re-enter her world at this moment, and each breath he took knowing this infuriated and frustrated him beyond belief.

"Sierra? Sierra you ok?" Arizona inquired cupping her face and moving her hair from her face.

"Sierra?..." Felix muttered. He knew agents changed names but, would she really need to?

"W-what? What did you call me?" She took a tone that was clearly unfamiliar with Arizona, but totally recognizable to Felix. He knew that was the attitude when someone said something totally unprecedented to her and she was questioning intelligence.

"Sierra. Agent Nevada. Your name?" Arizona elaborated. Sierra had clearly been giving him a totally different look by that moment's end.

"R-right..." She muttered.

"Lambda, Psi..." Arizona stated, and two AI popped up beside her. One in the shade of orange that the sunrise would paint the sky and the other, the one flickering, was gray with a green aura. "Status report."

"Lambda is currently experiencing a small power shortage trying to hold himself to her neural connections. Combined we are functioning at about 65% and I have lent power to Lambda to keep him online and without failure causing unwanted damage or thought flooding. Agent Nevada has been experiencing sleep deprivation and it has caused her to have issues with reconstruction of her neurons and the connection between her and Lambda. I suggest she sleep." Psi ratted her out. Arizona sighed and he met Sierra's gaze. Her eyes pleading to not be nagged or for him to further prod into her thoughts.

Felix knew this gaze.

And he wished he was the one gazing into her hazel eyes that resembled a lively planet against that bloodshot galaxy in one of her weakest moments, there to kiss it away.

"C'mon. Let's get you back to the compound turned into our quarters. Kansas and Missy did a great job of making it feel homey." Arizona said placing his arm over her waist and walking off with her.

Something wasn't adding up. When Arizona called her 'Sierra', she barely responded and when she did it was with a very reminiscent response with a girl Felix was more familiar with. She sounded genuinely confused, and she would have never agreed to having an AI installed with her let alone two. This was all striking a weird chord. Then it dawned on Felix; the day he officially lost her. Her prison transport was raided.

"Oh shit…"

* * *

"Agent Washington...my body...is trying, to die." Caboose heaved out before passing out on the ground whilst Carolina and Washinton experienced physical pain observing the struggle that was the out of shape Simulation soldiers. Donut, and Tucker were still performing squats as Caboose lay unconscious.

"When the rest of the rest of the reds get back, please tell me you are gonna double up this work, 'cause this shit is fucked up." Tucker said.

"And one more lap to the list for bitching, and probably. Who knows?" Washington answered. Tucker muttered more curses and Donut bitched at Tucker for bitching more and earning more work for them.

Locus manifested out from behind the two former Freelancers and uncloaked his armor.

"Agent Washington," Locus startled Wash and Carolina.

"Jesus, Locus. You startled me."

"I assumed because of your status as a former special operations soldier you possessed the skills to identify me being behind you." Locus answered, completely void of emotion but sincere in logic.

"Oh, _buuuuuurn_." Tucker chortled.

"Hey why don't you guys go ahead and give me those 8 laps you owe me? Like right now." Wash retorted.

"We only owe you seven dick face." Tucker argued.

"One for the burn comment, another for dick face. 10 laps because I feel like it. Move it."

Donut attempted to chastise Tucker for adding the extra laps and received a swift "Fuck off pink dude."

"So, Locus, see anything new today?" Carolina asked, trying to ignore the stupid that was occurring all around her.

"Nothing entirely new, but gathered interesting intell while observing through Felix. The team has not deviated from the perimeter except to place bombs or other trapping devices throughout points of interest in the perimeter." Locus cleared his throat. "This being said, no one has deviated in the last five days from the normal routine to my knowledge. Then again she has had them on such a stringent schedule and system I calculated taking into account that I may or may not have had someone leave my vision or not be under my surveillance because I am unable to see all team members at once."

"So, what's the interesting intell from Felix?" Washington asked, trying to not laugh at the heaving and panting from two of the three conscious and running morons of the group.

"I managed to locate Felix, and due to tracking him down, I in turn was able to confirm that the leader of the team is Agent Nevada, and that she is the woman I predicted her to be. She had her helmet off in plain sight today. Now, while I was observing I noted a private moment between her and one of the other male subordinates-" Locus was interrupted by a passing by "Bow chicka bow wow" and sighed and recollected his thoughts. "At any rate, in this private moment I discovered that she had changed her name, and was experiencing what may seem like a significant amount of distress." Locus established.

"That it?" Carolina asked. "Most special agents change their names."

"I am not finished." Locus replied. "During her encounter with the subordinate, he had activated her AI untis. She has two, and one was experiencing a mild malfunctioning error." Locus added.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Carolina gasped.

"She has AI's? Plural?" Washington asked incredulously.

"This can conclude that other team members may very well have AI, as well as advanced weaponry you two are familiar with." Locus elaborated.

"Son of a bitch." Carolina breathed.

"I however feel like she won't be the one to make the first move at this rate." Locus interjected, regaining their focus.

"What makes you say that?" Washington asked.

"She has yet to order any kind of deviation from setting up base, and perimeter. The true nature of their visit is unknown, but I know from small intercepted conversation in radio chatter, she is feeling dissonance from this call." Locus answered. "I want to throw in also how she is collectively a different individual than what I knew her as. I feel as though she has no free will in this mission as well. Whatever it may be."

"Free will or not they're here for something." Carolina snapped.

"I have more speculations, but I shall save them for another day and with more substantial evidence." Locus finished.

"Thanks Locus. We need to capitalize on this advantage we have been given as far as her prolonging this mission." Washington said.

"Affirmative." Carolina and Locus agreed as Tucker and Donut both collapsed on Caboose, all three of them groaning in pain.

* * *

 _ **Big shout out to the Guest reviewer, and my followers, y'all the MVPs here :) (Yeah I just let my southern come out a bit there!)  
Also, getting closer to the break throughs and what not, but I wanna make sure I leave no room for too many unanswerables yet. Next chapter is going to cover mostly the AIs and Epsilon. Who knows, Illinois and Ohio might have made a break through, or perhaps Dr. Grey has. Only time shall tell.**_

 ** _Hope you all enjoyed, and please review if have the moment to tell me how weird it is to see Felix lovesick and how awkward of a position his stalkerish tendencies are with his romance!_**

 ** _~Sahara_**


	11. 10) Scratching the Surface

**_Chapter Ten_**

 ** _Scratching the Surface_**

Dr. Grey placed the last piece of her gear on the floor near the operations table and dusted off her hands.

"Thank you so much guys for helping me unpack!" She thanked in her giddy tone as the reds all heaved and were breathing heavy leaning against the warthog, the pile of her massive gear finally off of it.

"Not a problem." Simmons responded.

"Speak...for...yourself….Should breathing be this hard?" Grif asked.

"Probably not, but this could be because you are out of shape." Dr. Grey answered.

"That was...a Rhetorical...question." Grif wheezed.

"Alright, sissy britches, lets get back to base and leave Dr. Grey to her experiments and whatnot." Sarge barked. Simmons and Grif both climbed back into the Warthog. As they were driving off Dr. Grey could make out the distinct happiness Sarge had at being able to press the gas and the warthog actually go now without all her stuff in it.

Dr. Grey turned to the helmet that supposedly housed Church.

"I'll crack this open yet."

* * *

Nevada woke up, and had a slight headache. She groaned while sitting up. That sleep was needed, but it wasn't exactly restful either.

She glanced around the makeshift bunker, and everyone but Oklahoma and Arizona were in their cots. It was Oklahoma's turn for duty and Arizona's for patrol since he took her shift for that tonight.

She stepped over everyone and stepped outside for some fresh air. Oklahoma cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Looking for me?" He asked.

"Maybe." She said strapping her helmet on and climbing up to meet him on the top of the compound.

"Couldn't sleep? It's the middle of the night, I know you weren't asleep for long." Oklahoma asked.

"Bad dreams." Nevada answered. "You know, up here Arizona would say you're a sitting duck for the enemy." She chuckled.

"How? We are the biggest threat on this planet." Oklahoma retorted.

"He seems to believe if we are too far from one another or the base, like 200 yards far someone's gonna get shot." Nevada answered. "At least that's the vibe I am getting."

"Oh please we all know why he's on your ass. He cares more about you because you barely care about yourself." Oklahoma said.

"Yeah, I can't step away for a moment or god forbid I get a bruised rib, its the end all be all of my life." Nevada complained. "Like, I appreciate what he does but seriously, sometimes I don't want to sleep." Nevada added.

"Why's that?" Oklahoma asked. Nevada sighed.

"Since we woke up from Cryo, Lambda's stability has been faltering. He used to only if I was ruminating and fixated on thoughts but now, its all over the place. I get these strange flashes of images that feel like they're memories, but not mine. I get headaches and it just isn't getting better, despite Psi helping Lambda out." Nevada elaborated. Oklahoma nodded.

"Zeta has been rather out of it as of late also. He gives me some mild headaches but nothing to cry about. I don't get images as much as I sometimes hear a recognizable voice, but it isn't the voice of the person who is speaking to me." Oklahoma shared. This sent a chill through Nevada.

"So, I think it's not just you and I experiencing these with our AI's." She said. "Joel- _Arizona_ ," She corrected sounding a smidge mad at herself for using his first name. "says that Upsilon had never gone dormant during Cryo, that he was bombarded with activity through out the voyage slightly and then upon awakening was rushed with it all. He said it wasn't intense cause it seemed like Upsilon had done it all sporadically over the journey and he absorbed it well enough. Lambda flickered yesterday when I was talking to _Arizona_ ," She put so much effort into making sure she said his agent name. Oklahoma rolled his eyes at her. "That thing you were talking about, hearing a different voice..." She trailed off.

"Yeah?"

"I was already straining Lambda by trying to focus my thoughts off of things bothering me about this mission, at the point Joel," Nevada sighed from exasperation.

"I know, you know, the team knows, it doesn't matter..." Oklahoma reassured.

"Joel was talking to me and when I thought about " _what about him, what about love_ ", Lambda shorted and caused me to flinch. He had never done that before, which is weird since I have done more than _think_ about Joel. When he was speaking to me, I heard him calling my name, but I didn't recognize it as my name. I can't remember what I heard, but I saw a different face and heard a different voice. I didn't feel like myself." Nevada said sounding more tired than when she went to sleep. "Lambda and Psi have conversations, that are clearly about me, but don't include me..."

"How do they do that?" Oklahoma sounded confused.

"They talk about things while I am otherwise occupied or asleep or barely asleep. I hear them talking about a metaphorical wall, and the cracks in it, the power Lambda needs to borrow from Psi and Psi getting upset about it all." Nevada said.

"So, you think that we were given AI with expiration dates on them?" Oklahoma asked.

"Possibly." Nevada replied. "I think it is more probable we got faulty equipment, or perhaps our equipment is more taxed because of something they are keeping from us." Nevada looked over at him

"You think that Project Revenant has got some kind of secret agenda behind our AI? I mean, secret special operations aside I think they had enough to hide." Oklahoma said showing sign of disbelief.

"You remember that one day you and I were in mission control and we were rummaging through files on the AI's, way way back in the day Todd..." Nevada began.

"Here we go..."

"The name 'Project Freelancer' ringing a bell?" Nevada asked. He stared at her.

"What about it? Because all I remember of that shit was getting notice 3 days later we were going under cryo to reach our next mission safely. Now we are here. We were the only two on the team who knew about that shit." He said in a hushed and angry tone.

"Well, on board the Elysium I was restricted from certain access keys on the web. When I was studying up on our opponents here, two of the names were familiar to me, Washington and Carolina. They were a part of _Project Freelancer_." Nevada replied hushed and hurried. "I could only have Psi bring me back the information I needed. Project Freelancer resembles us so much it is uncanny, but they also experienced AI issues, and ultimately faced shut down. It was not long after they're compromise that we were under cryo. The captain of the Elysium was less than generous with my freedoms on board and I have take it into matters here." Nevada finished.

"What are you fucking plotting?" Oklahoma asked, concerned and interested.

"I've got it under control. I'll keep you posted as I know how it is unfolding. It's multifaceted, I'll tell you that much." Nevada answered. "I'm fearful if I explain the whole plan to everyone at any given point it won't go accordingly. I think there is something bigger going on, something bigger than this man's pride that stranded us here." She said.

"Understood." Oklahoma replied. "I'll stick by you. I what to know what's going on too."

"I appreciate that Todd." Nevada said.

* * *

 ** _Thank you guys for the awesome reviews! I in fact have an answer to that question (and by the way GREAT question because I guess I skipped something in my brain about miraculously bringing a character back from the dead because Sarge was brought back from a head shot wound with CPR in the RvB Universe!) I promise a more sensible answer. Far fetched but logical in nature at the very least :)_**

 ** _Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it was a quick and necessary write, I had a busy week and had to slow down in my writing. Also, I plan on publishing in the near future a Washington/OC pairing fic as well, so if anyone likes Washington and Project Freelancer antics, I'm on that too!_**

 _ **And I made the BEST find on the web when I wanted to have a list of armor descriptions and names in front of me for this universe and I discovered an ARMOR GENERATOR. I attempted for the link, but this site doesn't allow it lol If you want it I am more than happy to PM it:) otherwise good Halo Armor Generator and the one I am talking about is from Halo 3 Archive!**_

 _ **Best thing EVER. So if you were curious after I get better descriptors in here or needed it for your own fic it is at your finger tips!**_

 _ **Thanks again and I can't wait to finish the next chapter, which should get things moving a bit more. :)**_

 _ **~Sahara**_


	12. 11) Carbon Copy

_**Chapter Eleven**_

 _ **Carbon Copy**_

Nevada waited for morning and for most of the team to be awake before calling Illinois and Ohio into the Pelican.

"So what have you guys uncovered so far?" She asked.

"Well, we were only able to pull so much from off of the Elysium...Buuuuut," Illinois trailed off pulling up screen shots of documents on the board of the Pelican. "I was able to recover some of this. Not much, but it is loaded with information I feel like you will find...for lack of a better word informative." Nevada began to sift through the information at hand.

"There is a ton on another project very similar in nature to ours in there, Project Freelancer. As it also turns out Charon industries had information on their research and weaponry as well as they had a long standing history with this particular planet..." Ohio stated as Nevada read the corresponding documents.

"Also according to these files Charon sold the director of Project Freelancer an AI, but the members of it had AI frags, like us. It also appears as though Freelancer has stolen product from Charon a couple of times too. Such a strange partnership." Nevada chuckled.

"Yeah, no kidding. But you're suspicions about Charon and this planet are pretty solid Boss." Ohio said as Nevada nodded skimming though more information.

"Ohio, can you go get Oklahoma and Arizona, and for the sake of less information being shared or exposed I need one of you guys to volunteer to not be a part of this debrief with Oklahoma and Arizona." She said turning to them with her arms crossed. "You know protocol guys."

"I got you Nevada. This seems heavier than what I'm used to anyways." Illinois said stretching. "Can't wait to get orders when this is done!" He said sarcastically.

"I appreciate the volunteerism Illinois. I'll be sure to give you something with the least amount of drama and the biggest boom, as usual." Nevada laughed.

* * *

Felix was feeling a bit more up to speed the last few days, more like his old self. Exacting retribution on the pesky Sim troopers was something he still needed to accomplish, but no course of action had come to mind, nor any means of exacting this pay back to begin with. He lost most of his weapons in his defeat.

He lost his life for a brief moment in that defeat. In that descent down, if his healing unit hadn't reacted to his heart stopping due to the shock of falling, he certainly would not be here at this moment. He still couldn't even remember without blurs and bruises how he managed to fire a grappling line at _something_ and swing into a safer landing. Not entire safe, but safer than if he just let terminal velocity guide his landing.

But back to the problem at hand, weapons? How to get back at these idiotic, colorful bastards? He knew from some choppy communications from Sam that her crew was after them too, but there is no way in hell he could see getting into their camp safely long enough to say "Hey once upon a time we were together and we happen to be after the same thing" and it not get him shot.

He noticed that the guy she was speaking to this morning, and that guy that was all over her were walking in with one other guy and one in yellow armor was exiting. They usually wouldn't be group liked this, something had to be going on that was important. Maybe it could have something to do with the Sim troops.

Maybe this was that moment he was needing.

* * *

Dr Grey started to get really giddy as she hummed some show tune to herself as she was untangling wiring smoothly and the helmet sat motionless and seemingly void of intellect on the table. She finally managed to get the cords untangled and flipped the helmet over. She found one jack on the inside, and one on the outside. Once that was hooked up she plugged it into an alien computer like device on the floor. Some sparks flew between the two but the computer device whirred to life and she clapped her hands.

"Ooooh, getting somewhere!"

* * *

"Hey Wash," Tucker started.

"What now?" Wash replied. Carolina sighed.

"If the other Freelancers, or mercs, or whatever they are, also have AI's, does that mean they probably are a bunch of badasses like you and Carolina and the rest of Project Freelancer? And if they have them, did they get them the same way you guys did? Like all that experimentation and shit?" Tucker asked a well loaded question. Wash and Carolina looked at each other and looked back at him.

"You know what...now that you mention it, we could use that to our advantage. We know how unstable those AI frags can be, and more than likely they are going to attack as a team versus individually." Wash said.

"However, we have no idea the type of technology they have. For all we know they may have armor that those pirates had with multiple types of gear that can run without the assistance of AI. Those AI could just be there to increase fighting capacity." Carolina added.

"I mean, I'm just saying if they are anything like you two we are probably boned if they take you guys out." Tucker said. "I figured if there was anything you guys remember or perhaps can think of a weakness you guys have we could exploit it on them."

"Not anything I can think of at the moment Tucker, but you keep on that thought." Wash said. Carolina stayed silent for a brief moment.

"I think the best we can do currently is remain on guard, and find a way to hit first." She finally said. "I hate being a sitting duck."

* * *

"Alright," Nevada said with Ohio, Oklahoma and Arizona's eyes transfixed on her and the screen chuck full of information. "So, as I have explained to each of you in separate occasions, I have had an uneasy feeling about this mission, and the lack of clarification and direction we were given. I asked Illinois and Ohio, our tech specialists, to hack into the Elysium's systems and access things I could not get granted access to while I was prepping. Oklahoma and I are familiar with a name in these files, Project Freelancer..." She trailed off as she pulled the corresponding information up on the screen. "72 hours before orders came for our Cryo Oklahoma and I found their names pass through our systems, and we had more questions than answers despite the amount of information on hand about them. Who were they, why did they have AI too, and many more. As it turns out, late Chairman Hargrove, our current employer, has in fact had not only a long standing history with Project Freelancer and their technological advances, but this particular planet. As we all know thanks to Lambda and Psi's digging, Agents Carolina and Washington of Project Freelancer are a part of this Sim Trooper resistance group. My plan is to infiltrate their base with Oklahoma, capture and interrogate. I need Ohio to lead the agents without AI on a course of being able to take a hold of what appears to be a second base and be near by in case of need of back up, Arizona you are to observe our sixes as we approach our goal and use your sniper rifle in case we have company as we are attempting our take over. Our mission objective is to make sure we acquire information, and not let our guard down while doing it. I'll instruct Monty, Alabama, and Oregon in what I need them to do after this. After nightfall, we will know if we are meant to be on this god forsaken planet for this deranged fucker Hargrove or not." Nevada summed up. "All clear? Sync."

"Sync." they all responded.

* * *

 **I AM EXCITED TO BE THIS FAR. I will be saving the dramatic re-telling of Felix's survival in a few chapters but I hope that part of the explanation covers the sword swapping new owners, and him not being like zombie and totally broken and whatnot.**

 **I am sincerely sorry it took pretty long to update, I hosted a helluva Halloween party and had other things going on too. You know, adulting, it kinda sucks. lol**

 **I also have posted Resuscitate, my Wash/OC fic, if anyone had an interest in that one as well! :)**

 **I hate to say this but my updates through November might be sporadic or perhaps clumped into one week, due to the fact I am participating in NaNoWriMo as well this month :)**

 **I hope this chapter satiates for a little while!**

 **~Sahara**


	13. 12) Blast from the Past

**Chapter Twelve**

 **Blast from the Past**

Felix waited out Team Revenant prepping for the on coming mission. He tuned into the conversations as best as he could to gather what was going on, in case this was the only opportunity he had to make his own moves.

"Arizona, you will find the highest point you can reach and leave easiest and be our eyes with your scope." Sam had said. Felix was still adjusting to her new found authority. It was different to hear her make an order rather than a suggested plan of action. She had always been good at those. "Alabama, you will accompany Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois to the half of the area that the Red's house their separate base, and please make sure Illinois doesn't go over board with the explosives..." Felix chuckled at the tone he recognized all too well. "Ohio, you are going to be with Monty and Oregon nearby within range to be Oklahoma and I's back up. Everyone, sync?" She asked.

"Sync." all replied.

"Alright, finish up reloading and lets head out." She said, and they made their way out barely moments after. Felix sat there for a moment contemplating what to do.

This was probably the only moment he was going to have to get his shit together and get back at the sims, with or without Sam and her crew. He peered out to their makeshift base; the Pelican was left unattended.

"Now or never..." He muttered. It was late afternoon by this point, and he knew it was going to get serious soon.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set and Carolina had taken to the roof as she usually did, and had already informed the others of her taking the first watch that night. Something Tucker had said earlier really was resonating with her. When she thought about it, she didn't have a solid answer of how to combat the carbon copies of Project Freelancer. She didn't know if they did or didn't have similar to the same training, or if they had better equipment, or maybe their AI's weren't fragments. She felt like she was trying to come up with a course of action against so many unknowns.

A couple hours into her prison of thoughts, she was jail broken by a thunderous boom from the red's half of the canyon. She jumped to her feet just as quickly as Washington had run up to the roof too.

"What was that?" He asked in one breath, almost forming one solid word instead of three.

"I mean, hopefully Sarge using Grif for impromptu target practice or Simmons losing his shit on Grif." Carolina answered blandly.

"I'll go check it out..." Washington said.

"No, I got it. I'm feeling antsy anyways." Carolina told him as she walked past.

"Fine..."

* * *

"Nevada, Carolina is separating herself from the other freelancer..." Arizona chimed over radio as he looked at a lonely Washington.

"Roger that, Oklahoma and I are going to intercept at Illinois' third explosive. Remember, do not fire unless I or Oklahoma give the ok." Nevada instructed, activating her cloaking. Oklahoma did the same.

* * *

The room shook and dust was scattered and clouding as the reds were all throwing hacking and coughing fits, except for Lopez.

"What in Sam Hell is going on here? It's gotta be those damn Blues! Trying to get rid of us and store all the rations for themselves! I fuckin' knew it!" Sarge announced to the forlorn ears around him.

"Sarge, they are our allies now, we just fought along side them for like, I don't even know how many problems, get over it!" Simmons bitched.

"Simmons was this another one of your holistic bullcrap schemes again to grow shit, you nerd?" Grif asked shouting over the ringing in his ears.

"No you ass-hole! I haven't had the means for that kind of stuff and I am not a nerd you lard ass!" Simmons retorted.

"Fuck then where is Lopez?" Grif shouted again.

" _yo esto aqui._ " Lopez announced.

Another bomb went off.

"What the FUCK is going on?!" Grif shouted.

* * *

Carolina heard the second bomb and picked up her pace. Something just didn't feel right, it didn't feel like the normal amount of stupid.

Arizona saw through his scope her pace alter.

"Nevada, you may want to intercept before the third bomb, she's going to reach them before Illinois has time to detonate and you'll lose you're moment to engage." Arizona suggested.

"On it." Nevada replied. She pressed herself close to the canyon wall and activated the speed boost she had on her armor. Almost as quickly as she took off Carolina was spun and knocked over by the small sonic boom Nevada had produced. Oklahoma had quickly made his way to the base to intercept a now probably alarmed Washington with his allies on his end.

"Carolina! Come in!" Washington shouted over his mic.

"What the hell was that?" Carolina asked getting up. Dust was settling where Nevada had skidded to a stop.

"Me." She said turning off the cloaking on her armor, flickering back into visibility.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Carolina asked cracking her neck and her knuckles.

"I think I am agent Nevada, and I have a few questions for you, so we have the easy way, or we can do this the hard-" Nevada dodged Carolina using her own speed boost in that moment. Nevada sighed as Carolina hit the ground with her punch and left a small crater. "Hard way it is then. Thought this would be how this is gonna go down."

"Hold on Carolina!" Washington shouted as he leaped off the base only to be struck by the end of a rifle he couldn't see. Oklahoma appeared after removing his cloaking.

"Not so fast buddy. Let the bosses work it out the way they know best." He said as Washington groaned getting back up.

"Hell no! Who are you guys?" Washington asked. Then it hit him. "You guys are the crew that crashed here aren't you?" He stated.

"So astute of you. Now before you get your armor in a bunch, we aren't actually here for violence at this moment. We have some, questions." Oklahoma explained.

"No violence huh? Tell that to my bloody lip ass-hole." Washington got back up readying his gun.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you." Oklahoma snickered.

"Why's that? I could just pull this trigger and be done with you once and for-" A bullet ricocheted after hitting the rifle out of Washington's hands.

"Because a good buddy of mine is pretty damn good with a sniper rifle, and I think him knocking it out of your hand instead of killing you is a pretty good indicator we need you alive." Oklahoma said.

"Then what's with the bombs?!" Wash asked.

"Just distractions. Trust me if Illinois wanted to hurt your friends, it would have only been one big boom." Oklahoma said. "For now, like I said we had a strategy assuming you guys were threats, just sit back and enjoy the show over there, and then we can talk, we don't really do much without Nevada."

"Is that who's fighting Carolina?" Washington asked.

"Yup."

"Well, then she's in for a run for her money." Wash said. Oklahoma laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Just watch man." Oklahoma said. The others who were asleep in the base came running out. Doc screamed like a little girl, Tucker asked what the fuck was going on, Caboose had mentioned something along the lines of meeting new people and had pulled the trigger on freckles and released confetti and Oklahoma wondered what the fuck he got stuck with.

"Wash, what the fuck man?!" Tucker asked once more.

"As I told your friend Washington here, try anything funny and I have an expert marksmen with you on his bead in less than half a second." Oklahoma made clear.

"Oh so we can't make jokes?" Caboose started. "I think knock knock jokes are the funniest."

"Um...no thats a figure of speech, and those jokes suck." Oklahoma replied confused.

"Well then if being funny is wrong I don't wanna be left! Or is it right?" Caboose questioned.

"So let me get this straight, you guys took out two mercenaries and Chairman Hargrove?" Oklahoma turned to Washingotn.

"Yup."

"What the hell, how?" Oklahoma asked gesturing to Caboose.

"Caboose, tell Freckles to fetch or something!" Tucker said pulling out his alien sword.

" _Hostiles detected. Target acquired._ " A robotic voice sounded from Caboose's rifle.

"You have got to be shitting me..." Oklahoma said evading a shot from Freckles. "Ohio! I need you, Monty and Oregon, stat!"

" _Uh, Monty and Oregon are a little preoccupied._ " Ohio responded.

"What?!"

" _Yeah there is this guy we didn't notice on the scout missions...He's pretty frightening I'm making my way to you now they go it._ " Ohio said signing off.

"You guys had another ally?" Oklahoma said to the group.

"Good ole Locus." Wash said brushing off his rifle. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go join my comrade over there and leave these guys to you!" Wash said waving off and heading out to the skirmish, running in zig zags.

Nevada tossed Carolina and she went flying into a canyon wall, causing some dust to fly around her.

"I just need some answers Carolina and then we can decide to take this fight up again." Nevada stated. She heard gun fire from the distance and observed Oklahoma's struggle from afar and Washington coming to Carolina's aid. Arizona had already begun firing at him and missing. "Arizona, cease fire. Let him in. I got it."

"You sure? That's two fighters with our type of training." Arizona said.

"I. Got. It." Nevada said. She activated Lambda and Psi simultaneously, ignoring the surge of mild pain that arose with them.

"You have _two_?" Carolina shouted, sounding more irate. "What the hell is wrong with you? How can you handle them both?"

"I remember reading in the file I snuck on your project that you were Commanding Officer for most missions, and also had two AI, briefly right?" Nevada inquired calmly. Lambda and Psi spun around her helmet.

"How do you know this shit, bitch?" Carolina spat.

"Like I said, I'm not here to fight, but if it's what you want, get it on out." Nevada said getting into a fighting pose.

"Carolina this is agent Nevada!" Washington shouted. "She's the one Locus told us about!" Nevada's AI's flickered. Carolina saw it. She took her opportunity and charged.

* * *

Alabama and the others dropped into the Red base to sift through rubble for their potential hostages.

"Yoohoo anyone home?" Alabama cooed.

"Illinois did you plant the bombs in the right spots?" Kansas asked.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure?" Illinois answered.

"Will you guys hush!" Alabama interjected.

"Don't have to be rude about it Alabama." Missouri retorted. Alabama sighed.

"Missy. I am trying to maintain composure and get our goals reached, if you don't mind I need peace and qui-" Alabama was cut off by a guy in orange armor tackling him. "OH MY GOD GET IT OFF!"

* * *

Felix crouched nearby, he had already passed by what looked like Locus successfully warding off two assailants on his own and he could see that Sam was in the heat of a bigger fight in the center of the canyon, and her cohort tied up with the other sims. He saw she was taking on two fighters.

"Shit, it's both of them..." He muttered. He saw her AI flickering again. "Fuck..."

Nevada had tossed Washington as he came at her with a punch and then blocked Carolina successfully for a small burst of punches that came at her in a volley. She kicked Carolina hard and activated her other equipment that created shadows of her and allowed her to dissipate in front of her opponents before their very eyes.

"Fuck, just like C.T.!" Wash shouted.

"No shit Sherlock!" Carolina cursed.

"Seriously guys, if we are done getting some frustration out, I am here for different reasons. You are no use to me dead damn it!" Nevada shouted.

"You'll do me a load of good dead!" Carolina said as Washington held her back.

"Hold it Carolina, look..." He said pointing to Lambda and Psi. They flickered and Nevada was avoiding her flinches. "She's not even trying that hard, you're tired and don't have Epsilon with you. Reason already."

"No, she came at us. That's not peaceful." She answered. "Where the hell is Locus!?" Carolina shouted. "He knows her he could fight with us!" Nevada flinched and held her head.

"Who is _Locus_?" Nevada shouted.

"Why is it every time we say his name your AI flicker and flux?" Washington asked.

"Who cares, c'mon!" Carolina charged ahead and got one good uppercut in before Oklahoma had managed to get into the brawl as well, sending Carolina hurdling with a heavy side kick. Just as that had happened The Warthog from over at the red's base had crashed past them with Alabama in the drivers seat, with Sarge, Grif, Simmons, and Donut all tied up and one of the Revenant agents to each hostage.

"What the hell...Why are you playing that awful music Alabama?" Oklahoma asked while everyone looked on confused.

"What can I say, these bozos have good taste in music."

"Turn that shit off." Oklahoma sighed.

"Turn down for what!" Alabama tried to keep it going but Nevada got to her feet and shot the radio with her pistol.

"That. Turn down for that." She said.

"What the hell did you do to our friends?" Washington directed at Oklahoma.

"I managed to get away when that guys pet or whatever ran out of ammo." he replied.

"Carolina are you through yet?" Nevada asked as she approached her, clutching her left side. "We need to have a chat, you have answers I need and clearly I have answers to question you have too, stop being competitive, and just surrender. Stop fighting." Nevada said, as Psi flickered in and out. She resisted the latest wave of pain.

"Why should I?" Carolina asked getting to her feet. "You attacked our base, bitching about needing answers, well what kind of way of getting them is this?"

"The only way we both know." Nevada replied. "We've been here for weeks, if I wanted you dead that would have already fucking happened."

"Aren't you working with Felix or something? How can I know we can trust you to not kill us after you have your answers?" Carolina barked.

"You can't..." Nevada held her head in agony. "Who the hell are Felix and Locus?" Nevada yelled frustrated.

"You don't remember me?" A familiar voice echoed from the distance.

"No..." Washington said.

"Monty, Oregon, what the fuck is going on, I thought you had the extra fighter?" Oklahoma asked.

" _We do._ " Monty answered.

Felix held his rifle pointed at the ground in one hand. Nevada looked over her shoulder at him.

" _That's_ Felix..." Carolina answered with some venom. Nevada, adrenaline pumping and the pain increasing, finally snapped.

"Who the hell are you and how do you know me?" She asked turning her back to Carolina. Arizona watched through the scope.

" _Sierra, I don't trust him. Permission to fire at will?_ " He asked.

"No Arizona..." She muttered in her mic.

"I don't think that's a good idea Sierra..." Oklahoma was trying to regain her composure with her.

"No I need to know why it is every time these guys say his name my AI fuck up and I am in pain." Nevada finally broke down. Both her AI were projected and speaking about something between themselves about a wall.

"Why are they calling you Sierra?" Felix asked. "That's not your name."

"Yes it is..." Nevada answered confused.

"You really don't remember me?" Felix asked, tossing the rifle to the side.

"He must really mean business now with no weapon..." Washington said to Carolina.

"Did she _really_ turn her back on me in the middle of a fight?" Carolina muttered.

"No I don't remember! But I know you're name, fucking tell me already, how do I know you?" Nevada said finally losing patience and aiming her weapon at him.

"We used to be a thing. Partners in crime if you will." Felix said slowly raising his hands walking forward. "Still, I don't see why they are calling you Sierra, that's not your name darling." He said calmly for someone at the end of a weapon of a pissed off, highly trained woman.

"Then what the fuck is it?" She gritted between her teeth and tried to subdue the AI rampantly talking in her mind.

"Samantha." Felix said softly. That's when it all came crashing down. The AI projected themselves outside her helmet and fell to their knees as she did and held her head as she felt a proverbial wall break and flood her mind with images she hadn't been familiar with for a long time. She was shouting in pain. "Sam!" He shouted skidding to her side, nearly missed by Arizona's shot fired against Nevada's orders. Carolina was thrust back to her own break down like this, and felt the pang of empathy finally set in.

Nevada tore her helmet off in a fuss and tried to shrink and fall away. Felix had a hand on her back and held her close.

"Sam it's ok! What's wrong?" He asked frantically, feeling useless not understanding what was going on, but Carolina and Wash had been here before.

"Let me see her!" Carolina barked as she approached them. Felix, desperate for assistance removed himself. Carolina laid her down on her back and saw the stream of tears flooding her face and sighed. "You'll thank me later..." She knocked Nevada out with a nonlethal punch to her head.

* * *

 _ **THE PLOT THICKENS.**_

 _ **I hope this was enjoyable and that I balanced Humor/action well enough to keep everyone in character, or show off enough character development and stats.**_

 _ **If you have a moment reviews are always appreciated!**_

 _ **~Sahara**_


	14. 13) Explaining to do

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

 _ **Explaining to do**_

Felix lifted Nevada bridal style after she had gone limp thanks to Carolina's mercy blow.

"Ok, there needs to be some explanations _now._ " Alabama shouted sternly from the warthog. "I did my part successfully, how is that _Nevada_ failed and she's CO?" He inquired with a bit of attitude.

"Alabama shut the fuck up." Oklahoma retorted running to Felix with Nevada. "Hand her over and I can promise Arizona isn't going to shoot you like he's been threatening since you touched her." He calmly directed.

"Not a fucking chance." Felix said. Alabama radioed Ohio and company and Washington had told Locus in his own communications to cease and regroup with them. Neglecting to tell him the news about Felix.

"OK, we need to get back to base, get her set up and you know what, we can finally talk shit out like civilized people. Kansas has some med training...Alabama, Missy, how did med supplies look?" Oklahoma asked.

"It looked standard and low grade for her type of issues, _sir_." Alabama said contemptuously.

"Bring her in with us, we have a medic and a doctor off base." Carolina said calmly.

"You sure you want to take them in?" Washington asked. "After all this, after you pretty much were set on retribution?"

"She made sense, she knew this was the only way to contact, and as a leader, I see her decision to come at us as if we were a force to reckon with instead of under the suspicion of the white flag. I wouldn't have let them in." Carolina said. "Also, she was right about one thing, we have answers to each others questions. I'm just as curious as she is." She finished. Tucker and the others finally made their way over to the drama.

"What, the fuck, Felix?!" Tucker shouted.

"Hey Tucker long time no see. Miss me?" Felix said patronizingly.

"No fucking around with hostiles with my CO in your arms dick-face." Oklahoma said point a rifle at his head. Felix looked on coldly.

"You really think after finding her after all the time that has passed, I would fucking let her get _more_ hurt? Don't fucking tell me how to protect her ass-hole. Clearly you or lover boy couldn't either." Felix said. "Speaking of him, how long is it gonna take little Arizona to come down from his bird's eye perch blow my fucking brains out." He said being extra specific. Oklahoma looked at him confused. "Oh I'm sorry didn't know you weren't aware of me infiltrating your communications this entire time you guys were stranded on this awful planet."

"You son of a bit-"

"Name calling really isn't necessary right now is it? How about we move Sam to a safe place all-fucking-ready?" Felix said actually sounding concerned and stern.

"Felix," Carolina called out. Felix averted his attention from Oklahoma to Carolina. "After we get her stabilized you are going to be under protective custody. Do I need to reiterate any of the laundry list of charges you could possibly be killed over?"

"I don't care. Where am I taking her?" Felix replied stoically.

"Wow, no smart ass remark, and straight to the point. That's new." Tucker said. Everyone heard a gun lock and load behind Felix and Felix's sigh almost echoed.

"Oh look, lover boy finally showed up. S'up fuck boy?" Felix said.

"What'd you do to her ass-hole? You have 10 seconds to answer before I shoot you." Arizona threatened.

"Get in line!" Tucker shouted.

"I didn't do anything. Clearly something is up with her AI, and uh guess what, remember that day she didn't recognize you and hesitated when you called her name? Out by those big ass rocks near your crash site?" Felix turned around to face a very perturbed Arizona. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she was seeing my face and hearing my voice then buddy. Now if you don't mind, Carolina where the fuck am I taking her and when is she going to get help by?" Felix said walking off from Arizona, leaving him stunned.

"Rifle down Arizona," Oklahoma announced as Felix walked past him, receiving a glare with his deepest convictions. "We are instituting Operation Tulsa, also known as I am in command until Nevada has regained consciousness and capability of leading again. Weapon down soldier." Oklahoma said. "Team Revenant; Re-group at the Sim troopers main base. We will discuss truce terms and when Nevada regains consciousness she'll make the next big decision." Oklahoma got everyone in on his communications. "Sync?"

"Sync..." A few said reluctantly.

"I did all this work, wrestling this Orange ass-hole into submission, and we ran our part flawlessly...for THIS." Alabama was sarcastically bitching as he reached over and cut the ropes he had on the reds.

"Hey I'm just proud I didn't go down without a fight." Grif said rubbing his wrists and pulling the loose ropes off.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't you screaming like a little girl?" Alabama question.

"No that was these two..." Kansas said pointing to Donut and Simmons.

"Shaddup..." They both chimed at the same time.

Arizona watched Felix walk off with Nevada in his arms, his sides flanked by Tucker and Carolina. Oregon, and Monty had already made their way with Ohio to the "Blue" base and radioed saying Locus was with them as well.

"I don't trust him..." Arizona stated. "I don't trust him a single fucking bit. He's clearly been spying on us, that kind of intel, how'd we fucking miss him?" Arizona felt his heart sink when he saw Nevada's arm move around Felix's neck for support.

"Well, we are gonna have to trust him for the time being. He clearly knows some shit we don't. Let's get a move on." Oklahoma said. "Come on guys." They all headed towards the base.

Felix, flanked by Tucker and Carolina, received what anyone could see, with or without a helmet on, was a literal death glare from Locus. The electricity felt between the two was sparking and alerting everyone else to their strife with one another. Washington hung back to speak to Oklahoma.

"Just as a heads up, Felix and Locus were the two mercs we took out with Hargrove. Locus turned on Felix in the end, and Felix we presumed dead when he took a fall off one of the temples ledges. Guess he is reminiscent to a roach." Washington said.

"Cockroach is an excellent way to describe him." Arizona chimed in.

"You don't seem too happy he is into the welfare of Nevada." Washington observed.

"No shit Sherlock." Arizona retorted.

"Why does everyone say that..." Washington muttered. "Either way, he isn't exactly someone we are thrilled to see either."

"He seems to have a connection to Sierra, which is what is our primary concern is right now, is interrogating him for that intel, then we'd like to speak to you and Carolina about a few other topics of interest." Oklahoma elaborated.

"Oh? Want the short version of their connection?" Washington said casually.

"What's that?" Oklahoma asked.

"Well as Locus so eloquently put it to us, apparently once upon a time they were lovers." Washington said. Arizona stopped dead in his tracks.

"Well, that earned him a one way ticket to a shit list." Oklahoma said acknowledging Arizona's moment.

"Son of a bitch." Arizona growled catching back up. "Who the hell does he think he is waltzing back into her life like this?"

"You want that answer or you asking a rhetorical question?" Washington replied.

"Clearly he thinks he's someone she fucking remembers based on how their conversation on the battlefield went." Oklahoma said. "Which is what concerns me, that this Felix fellow and Locus guy seem to know her, but by a different name. Aren't they the two mercenaries you guys defeated? They worked for Hargrove." Oklahoma asked.

"Yes, they were. I can see your concern but let's save these questions for those two once we have your CO stabilized." Washington stated.

Felix walked to what they had as a one bed infirmary, and placed Nevada down gently on the bed. They really had upgraded the base since he found them here when they first crashed on Chorus. Guess that's what happens when you need your space from the United Armies of Chorus and they have some left over tech to rebuild things.

"I'm going to go inform the Reds to go get Dr. Grey. In the meanwhile Doc can attend to her with a healing unit for the scraps she got in our fight." Carolina stated. She looked over at Tucker. "Watch him." She growled pointing to Felix.

"I am not going anywhere, any time soon." Felix sighed in frustration.

"About that..." Washington stated as he entered the room. "As it turns out you have some explaining to do."

"Actually, a lot." Oklahoma added. "So if you don't mind, Agent Arizona is going to relieve you of your position while we debrief you."

"Actually no. You can debrief me right the fuck here." Felix said calmly. Everyone was taken aback by the seriousness in his tone, the once quirky and overly talkative mercenary sounded firm in the convictions of not leaving his spot next to her hospital bed. "I don't think you guys seem to get it, I lost her a _long_ time ago, and now I am not even sure if she remembers me, or if she is going to wake up the same. I want to be here when she wakes up, and I'll do what you guys want, if that's what its going to take to talk to her, even if it might be in vain." Felix explained solemnly.

"Damn dude…" Tucker said. "I don't know if I can follow Carolina's orders right now. Watching him is like watching a soap opera and I'm watching that clenching plot twist."

"Alright fine. I think that's the closest to cooperation we will ever get from you anyways..." Washington stated. "Go ahead Oklahoma."

"First of all what is your relation to Sierra?" Oklahoma said crossing his arms. Doc took a seat next to her bed and began humming to himself with the healing unit being hooked up to her, and Tucker took a seat to watch the show unfold.

"Well, for starters, her name isn't Sierra. It's Samantha." Felix began. "We met when Locus and I had first started out as freelance mercenaries, she _was_ an undercover bounty hunter, looking to turn us both in for some of our earlier assignments, but she ended up sticking it out with us instead. Found our occupation a little bit more...rewarding." He briefly explained.

"So Locus told us you guys were a thing, you know, like dating or some shit." Tucker chimed in. Everyone noted Arizona cringed,

"Wow, what a gossip." Felix said chuckling lightly, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "I mean, yes, essentially that's what we were. We talked about getting enough money to quit our pursuits and get away half way across the galaxy and avoid the rest of humanity like we wanted to." Felix turned his attention back to her, he was on the opposite side of the room as Washington, Oklahoma, and Arizona were on. He noted that the rest of the Revenant crew was outside the doorway, kind of huddled around. He figured there was no better time than now to make a show of this, seeing as it might help pull some sympathy and see her longer. "I remember the day we met. We met at a club that Locus and I hit up while at port some place looking for work and she caught my attention at the bar. After I approached her it was obvious she was a bounty hunter, despite hearing Locus complain of that I played it off like I didn't know, and after one of those nights that only ever seem to be in those boring ass romance flicks, I turned into a failure in her career and I risked my cover as well as Locus'. It sounds so juvenile to describe it this way we just _felt_ right. There is no changing that, and the day she got arrested distracting authorities from Locus and I, I have never been able to forgive myself for getting her involved with my life." Felix finished. All through his recollection he sounded sincere, and it sounded like he was concealing the hurt. Doc sniffled a bit.

"That was...touching." He tried to say without his voice cracking.

"Oh please? Do we really believe this guy?" Tucker asked standing up from his seat.

"Yes." Said a deeper voice coming into the room. It sent a chill down Felix's spine to hear it again.

"Locus? How long were you here?" Washington asked.

"Long enough to watch her female cohorts on her squad get bleary eyed over Felix's story. But, all of that is true, he's not lying about her."

"Damn straight." Felix said defensively.

"Well, I mean that's one person backing him who also on some trust-probation like thing with us. We'll know if its the truth if she wakes up and recognizes him and shit..." Tucker said somewhat defeated.

"Speaking of that, seeing as she was facing these issues at the hands of her AI, this raises the question if the rest of us are suffering from something similar." Oklahoma said.

"It's highly likely. We never talk about something distant from our present with Revenant, and we have all had something strange going on with our AI." Arizona said. "Upsilon, can you get in touch with Psi and Lambda right now? While she's out?" Arizona asked as his AI manifested.

"Contact with them is unlikely in this state. They are probably working hard to make sure she doesn't totally unravel or receive permanent damage from the overload of her memories from her former identity." Upsilon said matter of factly.

"Shit, he's exactly like Delta..." Washington muttered.

"So, you can acknowledge that she had a former identity?" Arizona asked Upsilon.

"Affirmative. There was protocol that restricted us from answering questions of that kind before but based on the events that have unfolded, protocol means nothing now." Upsilon stated. Arizona sighed.

"Upsilon-"

"This means that you have one as well Agent Arizona."

"Fuck me sideways." Arizona said ripping his helmet off. He grabbed a seat from next to Tucker's old seat and sat down beside Nevada's beside.

"Alright. Assuming there's no changing your mind Arizona, I'm going to go discuss other matters with Agents Washington and Carolina about our own project. You notify me the millisecond she wakes up. Roger?" Oklahoma said.

"Roger…."

"Doc you stay with these two and monitor her vitals. Notify me if anything changes or if they don't in an appropriate amount of time." Wash said. "Tucker come with us."

"Gladly." This left Doc alone with Arizona, Locus and Felix, and one unconscious Nevada. Doc sighed.

"Why me?" Doc asked as he felt the tension in the air escalate between Felix and Arizona's silence. Locus didn't linger long after either, completely ignoring Felix in the room after coming to his brief defense. "I hope they get Dr. Grey soon..."

* * *

 **I didn't realize I can hit a high word count on multiple character dialogue so quickly. I have the next chapter drafted partially and should be up in the next few days. Got a lot going on so it may be up as early as this weekend, to as late as next week, Monday or Tuesday.**

 **I am trying to maintain the humorous nature of RvB as well as emphasis the conflict, so forgive a little bit of OOC moments for some as I try to blend things together!**

 **If you get the moment, reviews are always appreciated! Thank you Char for reviewing consistently :)**

 **~Sahara**


	15. 14) Freelancer Dos Point-0

_**Chapter 14**_

 _ **Freelancer Dos.0**_

"Who the hell you think these guys are fucking showing up outta the blue and attacking us like that? And now we are _helping_ them. This is bullshit Simmons, total bullshit." Grif bitched in shotgun of the warthog the reds took to go retrieve Dr. Grey for Agent Nevada.

"I mean from what I gathered they're like the Freelancers, but maybe more efficient? We see how Wash and Carolina bicker. Those guys that got into our base we're pretty swift at their job." Simmons reminisced to his pitiful moments getting tied up by Missouri.

"Pffft..." Grif scoffed. "More efficient? Please, we are the ones going and getting the doctor for their Commanding Officer who had a mental break down on the battlefield. I mean you saw that Yellow armored guy that drove up with us in the Warthog, he wasn't exactly happy he did his job but she hadn't. Efficient my ass." Grif said.

"I think you expel more energy and effort in being right in verbal disagreements than you do trying to get away from enemies." Simmons mentioned.

"Got that right..." Sarge agreed.

"Oh please! I didn't see either of you jump those fuckers!" Grif defended.

"Grif I pushed you!" Sarge shouted.

"So?" He retorted.

"So? Solider you were having second thoughts about sacrificing yourself for the good of your team! I had to give you a little reminder of what it meant to be a hero!" Sarge explained.

"...Like I don't know what it's like to be a hero..." Grif muttered. "My point still stands, who the fuck do these people think they are?!"

"Well as I was saying, they're like the Freelancers, but I didn't catch the name they were calling themselves." Simmons interjected.

"I'm sure it was like some code or something they were using to cover up their real name." Grif said. Simmons sighed.

"Is this where you're going to rename their crew for simplicity's sake for your misunderstanding of them actually using their crew name?" Simmons said.

"...possibly."

* * *

Arizona had rested his head besides Nevada's arm on the infirmary bed, and Felix had been going in and out of consciousness sitting up. His hand was resting atop of hers. Felix found himself just analyzing all of her features as she slept. Her hair was definitely longer, but it still had the same copper sheen he remembered. Her breathing was less labored and more even again, a good sign for sure.

Felix didn't have the energy to fight with Arizona about him laying his head down besides her. He knew this would be the type of fight he could win better on another day, when the argument "You weren't there for her" would be less valid. Felix could hear it now, the words reverberating in his head, he wasn't there. He could have prevented this from happening to her had he found her in time.

"Hey Felix," Doc caught his attention.

"Yeah?" Felix responded.

"I gotta ask, how'd you survive that fall?" Doc asked. "I mean, that was a really far fall..."

"To be quite honest I'm not sure, except all I know is one moment while I was falling I closed my eyes, and suddenly I was jerked back awake and I had to snag whatever the grappling hook could. I can't tell you to this day what I was able to snag but I got something and was able to avoid a fatal fall." Felix elaborated as best as he could.

"Damn dude..."

* * *

"Ok, so upon Arizona's question Upsilon, its become clear there is not something wrong with our AI units solely. They have been programmed to contain something from our understanding, or rather prevent us from remembering." Oklahoma started explaining to the rest of the Revenant crew with Washington, Carolina, Locus and Tucker present as well. "Some time shortly before we had planned to come here and attack and infiltrate, Nevada had confided to me that her two AI, Psi and Lambda, had been acting strangely and speaking to one another as if she had not been paying attention to it, about a wall and anytime we saw Lambda flicker was supposedly when this wall was weakening. That quip Felix said to Arizona on the battlefield, if any could hear or recall, about seeing another face instead of Arizona's and not really hearing her own name, she had confirmed that with me in our conversation. I know Arizona has shared his own oddities from Upsilon, and I know from my own experiences Zeta hasn't been all that normal lately either." Oklahoma cleared his throat. "Nevada and I seventy-two hours prior to our cryo orders had stumbled across files in HQ with the name "Project Freelancer" plastered across them and it gave detailed narratives and explanations of the members and the findings from experiments, as well as the disastrous halt it experienced." Washingotn and Carolina looked away for a moment. "She and I became most concerned when we found that these same experiments had been used with us, that we were sent on similar enough missions, and that our AI's were mostly procured by the same means, and were considered only 20% more stable than theirs. We didn't have any time to take our concerns to our director and off we were shipped on the Elysium. Where, now we stand here with orders from a deceased man who has paid off our project to eliminate the Reds and Blues, as well as put a stop to the United Armies of Chorus after reaching the first objective. Something did not sit well with Nevada when she was trying to accomplish detail and recognizance so that she could adequately make a mission plan and execute with ease. The orders were odd for us, the nature of it we found absurd, and furthermore when she recognized Agent Carolina and Agent Washington's names in the roster and in the distress information she did have access to, she became suspicious and started her own search for answers. You guys see where we are presently, I don't feel that I need to go further."

"That does sum up everything nicely. And it explains why you guys didn't immediately attack, Nevada was biding her time to make sure she would have had the best understanding of what was really going on, and decided orders weren't for following since there was so much suspicion around them." Carolina answered.

"I do try my best." Oklahoma said trying to lighten the stress load in the room. "Either way, with our CO incapacitated, and _obviously_ we have no real reason to be fighting against you guys since we found the claims against Hargrove were true, we should probably come to a truce, and a mutual agreement to defend the planet against the next threat, because I can promise this, we probably aren't the only ones Hargrove had on standby."

"I concur. We will wait for Nevada to recover enough to work in cohesion with us on the details, but consider the time until she is better a truce." Carolina agreed.

"Excellent. Now that those points have been made, we as a team still have the issues of what exactly all of our AI's are hiding, and if they don't have AI's if there's a way to know whether or not their memories have been tampered with." Oklahoma mentioned.

"Xi has done an excellent job of keeping me in the dark if I have been. He hasn't exactly had much in the way of a hiccup like Nevada's but it could be based on the age of the AI frags too." Alabama chimed in.

"It's possible. Illinois and Ohio I am sure with the upgrade in tech we have access to now could possibly hack the Elysium's mainframe again and download what we need?" Oklahoma asked.

"It's doable. But, we'd prefer to wait till Nevada is awake sir, for the sake of knowing if there's another way for us to discover our backgrounds without risking red flags on the, now, enemy."

"Good suggestion."

"SUP BITCHES! We are back! Miss us?" Grif barged into the base shouting startling mostly everyone there.

"Jesus, Grif. Why? Was that even necessary?" Washington asked.

"If it has anything to do with looking like more of a bad-ass than what he actually is, it's necessary to him." Tucker threw in.

"Presenting Dr. Grey to Freelancer dos.0." Grif said with Dr. Grey stepping from behind him.

"I'm sorry, what?" Oklahoma asked. Simmons came in behind Grif.

"When we made a second robot mechanic named Lopez we had named him Lopez dos.0. Grif applied the same logic to you guys since he didn't believe you guys used your actual crew name." Simmons explained, sounding defeated and tired. Carolina sighed.

"This is going to be a difficult habit to break." Oklahoma said.

"Yeah..." Simmons agreed.

* * *

Nevada's eyes began to flutter more and Felix had squeezed her hand lightly.

"Sam?" He called soothingly. Arizona heard Felix as well as felt Nevada stir beside him. He looked up and saw Felix holding her hand and felt the twinge of anger flood over him, but it was quickly subdued by joy when Nevada groaned and began to actually wake up. She had turned her head and began blinking. Felix called her name again, and Arizona felt conflicted in what name to call her, since Upsilon confirmed she had a former identity, and didn't want to confused her or start a stir over her with Felix right there.

"...Joel?" She groaned first, cleared her throat as her vision cleared up and she saw Felix's face. "Felix?" She asked even more shocked. She sat up and was able to see them both, and she held her head as a dull throb made itself known. "Holy shit...What the hell happened? Where am I?" A lot was flooding back to her, like Felix showing up at the tail end of the fight, and Psi and Lambda clogging her mind with chatter.

"Shh, we'll fill you in soon, how are you feeling?" Arizona hushed.

"Like shit." Nevada chuckled as she held the right side of her head. Her side sent a splintering pain through her too when she laughed. And she groaned "Fuck..."

"Don't move you might aggravate something you hurt during the fight." Felix coddled. Arizona had rolled his eyes; he knew telling her no was useless.

"Oh my god you're not a hallucination..." She breathed. Arizona's heart sank further.

"Yeah, I am actually here." Felix said smiling. A single tear streamed down her cheek. She thought she'd never see him again, she thought that this man before her was a trick Lambda was pulling on her, using those images of him saved long before Lambda was imbedded in her brain. She took him all in at that moment, his brown eyes, the tan complexion and his half shaved head. "Hey don't cry..." Felix barely got out until she flung herself at him.

"It's really you..." She muttered again.

With all this occurring Doc had left and come back with Washington, Oklahoma and Dr. Grey.

Shamelessly Nevada had pulled from the embrace and kissed Felix passionately, not caring what pair of eyes witnessed.

"OK you two, I need to examine the patient now that she has regained consciousness, and I don't need you guys altering any states of mind at this very moment." Dr. Grey instructed in her sing song voice as they pulled from the kiss.

"I can't believe you're here...after all that's fucking happened." Nevada said softly, looking as if she was about to burst into tears again.

"That's how I've felt since you crashed on this god awful rock..." Felix laughed a little making her smile and suppress those imminent tears he noted. "Listen, I have to go for a second while Dr. Grey examines you and the rest of your crew, you've been through some shit to say it nicely." He kissed her forehead. "I'll be around, I'm not going anywhere..." He said kissing her lips softly.

"Ok." She replied quietly.

"Aw, love, so cute!" Dr. Grey commented swapping places with Felix and starting to check Nevada's vitals. Felix exited the room and only a few feet from the door had collapsed against it.

"Not going anywhere, huh?" Washington stated to him sarcastically.

"Do you ever wonder why we're here?" Felix asked sincerely.

"I'm getting really sick of hearing that question..." Wash replied.

"But do you?" Felix pressed. Wash sighed.

"I'd be lying if it didn't cross my mind once."

"Well, I am here for her. We met at the right place, at the right time and I fucking lost her to the way I live my life and I'll be damned if I loose her again. I didn't live through that little fall you guys sent me on for nothing." Felix said taking in a sharp breath. "Wherever you take me, Agent Washington, I will not go quietly, and if I am separated from her, I will find my way back. That's a promise." Felix said. "There isn't anything I am not willing to do, to earn my way back into her life." Washington heaved a sigh.

"We can discuss this after I have confiscated your weapons and armor and put you on lockdown ok? Carolina will kill me if I make another deal with the devil and I am just not in a negotiable mood any more today." Washington groaned.

"Deal." Felix said. Oklahoma and Arizona had exited the infirmary only seconds after Felix and heard the whole confession.

"Well, that's your competition there Joel…" Oklahoma said crossing his arms. Arizona shook his head.

"I think he's overestimating Sam and underestimating Sierra..." Arizona said first. "And it's not a competition, she's not a conquest. Right now, she needs us both, and I am trying my best to not shoot that untrustworthy fuck in the face." Arizona muttered and walked the opposite direction of Washington and Felix, back towards the rest of the crew.


	16. 15) Two Minds Better Than One

**Chapter Fifteen**

 **Two minds better than one!**

Dr. Grey was checking out Nevada's vitals.

"I'm sorry honey, I realize I didn't introduce myself. I'm Dr. Grey." She said shoving a thermometer in Nevada's ear and getting a reading.

"I...I don't know exactly who I am." Nevada answered.

"So that's what I've heard." Dr. Grey said in her odd sing song voice. The cheerful disposition she was taking with Nevada was peculiar to say the least. "It's what I am here to help you with."

"Alright then..." Nevada said. The guys in the Orange and Maroon armor dragged some of Dr. Grey's equipment in from the Warthog.

"Oh just stick it over there by that table boys! And please fetch Carolina, I have some progress to show her and I can do that while multitasking with Ms. Nevada." Dr. Grey instructed as the two groaned in acceptance and left the room.

"What're you gonna do to me?" Nevada asked genuinely confused.

"Oh don't worry honey! We don't need any of the big stuff yet! I am just gonna ask you some questions first." Dr. Grey answered. Nevada sighed with half relief. Dr. Grey procured a clipboard and paper from god knows where and managed to find a pen as well. "So, some of these questions will have what are known as triggers, and if you for whatever reason are not inclined to answering some of them, I understand, however, the most accurate answers you can give me the better off I am helping you, and finding a way to managing this dilemma." Dr. Grey said as Carolina entered the infirmary. Dr. Grey held her finger up as to shush her and began to unpack a machine from the suitcase as well as a helmet. She was doing this with one hand and the clipboard flat on the table.

"So first things first, I have been informed you have multiple aliases, is this true?" Dr. Grey asked.

"Yes." Nevada answered curtly looking over at the small construction going on across the room.

"Which of these aliases do you identify with most?"

"...Neither." Nevada hesitated.

"Describe that." Dr. Grey requested sounding rather confused as she screwed something back into place.

"I mean..." Nevada looked over at Carolina who had her arms crossed by Dr. Grey. She sighed. "I at this moment don't feel like either Sam, or Sierra, but when I glance at Carolina, because I knew her only when I was Sierra, I feel only a tad bit closer to her." Dr. Grey finished putting the machine together and handed the helmet to Carolina and instructed her to plug it in.

"So that makes sense, when speaking to me you feel as though you are both blended together because that is essentially who you are _now_ , however if presented with someone from a particular past you more readily identify with that personality first." Dr. Grey said writing it down.

"That is correct." Nevada answered. Carolina watched the helmet with anticipation, and nothing was occurring quite yet.

"Dr. Grey?" Carolina asked sounded a little perturbed. Dr. Grey turned around with a quick "oh!" and smacked the helmet and the computer whirred a bit more and projected a small guy in armor. "Epsilon?!" Carolina nearly squeaked!

"Yeah. I guess I didn't do a good enough job or erasing my existence. Dr. Grey over here found the smallest shred of my data left in the helmet. I did however erase a good portion of my memory, which may or may not be a good or bad thing at this point." Church said.

"Uh, who's that?" Nevada asked sitting further up from the bed.

"Who's she?" Church had asked.

"Well, Church, also known as Epsilon, was Carolina's AI unit. Church this is Agent Nevada of Project Revenant." Dr. Grey introduced casually.

"The hell is Revenant?" Church asked.

"You fought me without your AI?" Nevada directed to Carolina. Carolina felt the smile creep across her face at her former opponents disbelief.

"Yeah, I did." Carolina answered smoothly.

"Yo, what the fuck, can someone fill me in?" Church kept pressing. "Kinda been absent for a hot minute."

"We should have a rematch when you're better and when I have Epsilon reinstalled." Carolina stated.

"Nuh uh. No antagonizing my recovering patients." Dr. Grey managed to still say optimistically.

"HELLO!" The AI spoke up. "Who, is NEVADA?"

"I am from a replicated Project Freelancer. I have been hired with my crew to take out you guys on Chorus, but have opted not to." Nevada summed up for him. "There's a lot more but I fear you will attempt to apparently delete yourself again." Nevada chided jokingly. Carolina laughed.

"Ok thank you for finally fucking answering me."

"It's ok, I am used to little men begging for my attention." Nevada said as Lambda and Psi appeared.

"Well then, we have some more AI's present, great. Maybe I'll have some meaningful conversations with those who can relate to me more now." Church muttered.

"Wow. I felt that one." Carolina stated sarcastically. Church cut in and out. "What the hell..." Carolina asked.

"The computer is overheating again, I promise I can't go anywhe-" Church was cut off by the computer redirecting its power for its fans.

"Don't worry, I've managed to find that I can receive his data from the helmet, however he had successfully erased components he formerly had committed to his encryption that enabled him to tech hop as I have called it, so now I have to invest some time in making him a piece of machinery he can operate in autonomously before I can reprogram him to be able to sync with your implant again." Dr. Grey rambled. Carolina stared blankly at her.

"I am going to pretend I understand _all_ of that so I don't have to hear it again, but to be clear, he can't come back to my implant because of something he did when he went to delete himself?" Carolina asked.

"Yes m'am." Dr. Grey responded.

"That bitch." Carolina responded blandly.

"Damn." Nevada chuckled a little. "I see he's liked...enough."

"Yeah, just enough." Carolina replied. Just then Washington and Locus walked into the infirmary.

"Locus!" Nevada had greeted. "I was wondering when I was going to see you as well. You and Felix aren't adjusted well enough to function long without the other." Nevada chuckled swinging her legs over to the other side of the infirmary bed. Locus scoffed.

"Uh, has no one brought her up to speed?" Wash asked.

"I'm sorry, I have been blacked out and my former identity has hit my psyche like a Warthog, forgive me if I've missed something, but the last I checked he and Felix were more inseparable business partners than Felix and I were lovers, what happened?" Nevada snapped at Wash. Clearly this was _Sam_ speaking at this moment more than _Sierra_.

"To cut out a lot of chit chat, Felix and I have a severed business ties. In fact I thought he perished the last time I saw him." Locus summed up. "I'm sure Felix could give you a better, and wordier, explanation." Locus summarized.

"Yeah...what he said." Wash said sounding uncomfortable.

"There has been a lot that has happened here, and I guess when Dr. Grey deems me able, I would like to resume my position as CO of Revenant and be debriefed by whomever could be considered a CO here, I'm not entirely sure of the order here? It's all a little scattered to say the least. At any rate I would live to be an active part in taken down Charon industries, as my memories are really coming back to me, I feel strongly that they have something to do with my memory loss." Nevada explained. "And I would like to discuss Felix's predicament."

"I think that Oklahoma would be more than thrilled to have you back in charge again, it seems like Alabama likes talking back to him. A lot." Wash answered. "As for Felix..."

"I know that he is not the most honest individual, and with whatever happened between he and Locus, it had to have been something huge, I get that, I just want to know that if he is in any kind of trouble..."

"He's in a lot of that." Carolina chimed in stepping forward. "He is definitely not the most liked man on Chorus. If he is in fact invited back into our ranks, chances are good he would face some serious charges, and if that didn't happen, many would be at his throat." Carolina added.

"This doesn't surprise me." Nevada said flatly. "We met because he was an outlaw. I knew what he was when I got involved in this, however now I am here and I straddle a fine line of right and wrong, and personal and militant duty. I would greatly appreciate any time I can receive with him, or any defense I could play in if he is at all considered to be given another shot." Nevada met Carolina's solid stare. "I don't mean to sound egotistical, but I know that I will make the difference in his successful transition from a merc to a soldier again, and I know he can be an asset we would rather have on our side, than executed or worse; on Charon's side."

"He hated the Chairman. No chance of him going back to work for that company now that you are here." Locus confirmed.

" _Fine_ , fuck me...You both have killed me today. I will see what we can do for you Nevada, but I make no promises." Wash cracked.

"Wash since when did you call these shots?" Carolina asked sounding mildly offended.

"Since you ran off with Epsilon and this wasn't Freelancer. I know it's hard to hear a former subordinate make decisions but you heard her, and if you saw how Felix was when I arrested him, you'd realize you are human and have a heart too." Wash said in one breath. "We at the very least can see what the hell we can do, because we need all the help we can get if Charon is still fighting strong, and the UNSC hasn't contacted Kimball with any plan on how to help us on this god forsaken floating rock in space."

"Wait the UNSC hasn't gotten back to Kimball?" Carolina said astounded.

"Fuck you weren't supposed to know that yet."

* * *

 **I apologize about my absence, I had a lot going on with not only school but there was a family emergency that needed attending to. All is well now no worries.**

 **I hope the wait was worth it for this chapter, I was pleasantly surprised to see the views I maintained without my near constant updates :) Also happy to see a couple more follows and favorites.**

 **I appreciate all the feedback I get and the support that comes with these views. Hope you guys aren't too miffed with my cliffhanger :) Until next update!**

 **~Sahara**


	17. 16) Psychoanalysis for EVERYONE

**Chapter Sixteen**

 **Psychoanalysis for EVERYONE**

"I'm sorry, what exactly do you mean by 'Fuck you weren't supposed to know that yet' Agent Washington?" Carolina asked far too calmly to be truly calm. Nevada had used that tone with Alabama before. She shook her head as Wash stammered painfully to find the words to elaborate his reasoning. Locus sat beside Nevada on her bedside.

"This is going to be good." Locus said. Nevada chuckled.

"When I went to convene with Kimball she explained to me that UNSC has to launch a full fledged investigation, and that it will be a matter of compiling more than just our distress call and the years of undocumented warfare going on here on Chorus to indite him, in life or death, and they want to take on Charon industries, which is also in it's own turmoil trying to find a new chairman to make executive decision in Hargrove's place." Wash explained.

"I repeat, what does 'Fuck you weren't supposed to know yet' mean Wash?" Carolina inquired.

"I was not only told not to inform you as to keep the relative level of panic down, but also chose not to tell you because of the slump you entered when we discovered Epsilon had almost little to no progress to being recovered. You had enough you were dealing with, pardon me for trying to lighten your load." Washington began to get defensive.

"I am not upset that you hid information from me for the betterment of my mood, Wash, it was because we are teammates and you chose not to disclose distressing news to me and share in finding a manner of alleviating or preparing for it. Do you not think I am capable of handling that type of intel?" Carolina retorted.

"No, I don't. I think you handle that type of thing really well, beautifully even, but-"

"No 'buts' Wash, that was important information. We are over here worrying about this copy cat team and their dysfunctions-" Carolina turned to Nevada. "No offense..."

"None taken." Nevada waved it off.

"We are worrying about them and recovering an AI when we could have also been taking care of documentation gathering, evidence gathering for this investigation, and now we face having more pirates getting hired behind the backs of the UNSC who we _thought_ were on it and taking care of the traffic to here, now we know their hands are tied in bureaucratic bullshit." Carolina finished.

"I apologize if you think I made the wrong choice." Washington stood his ground. "But I had my reasons to not send everyone here into panic mode, to not stress you out further, to allow our focuses elsewhere on smaller problems-" gesturing to Locus. "No offense." Wash said. Locus nodded and "hmm"'d in agreement. "But Kimball also instructed me to take care of our needs out here, at my discretion, and I felt it was best to leave her to the initial nitty gritty details of the bureaucratic bullshit of the UNSC and have her handle that until we were necessary." Washington coolly defended as Carolina began to pace.

"I'm done, I'm going on patrol, if you hear gun fire, some unfortunate creature became target practice." Carolina stormed out.

"OK everyone I feel that this was a bit much for one day and my patient and I have a few more things to wrap up! Agent Washington, if you would be so kind, that when Carolina returns from her anger management that I am so proud of her for adopting, tell her we are ALL going to have some group therapy! Mandatory! Outside tomorrow morning. Please spread that news, and send in the rest of Nevada's team for me, I need to evaluate them all and see what I might be able to provide for them currently or if there is a way to assist them with memory retrieval like Nevada." Dr. Grey instructed in her cheerful tone.

"Um. Yes m'am. But, uh by everyone you mean like everyone? Including Project Revenant?" Wash asked.

"That is correct."

"Locus and-"

"Did I stutter, Agent Washington? I said everyone last I checked." Dr. Grey retorted still in her overly optimistic fashion.

"So that means Felix?" Wash asked anyways.

"Everyone." Dr. Grey nodded. "We can all benefit from this group therapy." Dr. Grey insisted.

"I mean are you entirely sure you wanna get _everyone_ together to talk about their feelings? When like 90% of us here don't even acknowledge we have feelings on a regular basis." Washington proded.

"Agent Washington," Dr. Grey began. Wash swallowed hard in fear of the next weird threat he might have been on the receiving end of. "I have a plethora of degrees and hours spent into Psychology and the needs of the emotionally scarred as well as the physically, though I see your point, I think we can all agree that I am the most qualified here to facilitate a large scale therapy that I feel necessary to revitalize the cooperation and faith in this rag tag garrison of soldiers and misfits to help aide in our victory against Charon, and alongside the UNSC. Now if you will kindly, stop questioning me, and go deliver the God Damn message, please." Dr. Grey explained in the kindest tone to ever utter a curse with God's name in vain.

"Yep. On it." Washington conceded and ran off to follow the Doc's orders. Dr. Grey turned to Nevada and Nevada shrugged back in fear of the next lecture.

"I am so excited to be applying psychoanalysis to everyone. It has been so LONG overdue." She chimed happily. Nevada nodded.

"So, about my analysis..." Nevada squeaked.

"Oh dear I am so sorry. Let me grab my clipboard and- Locus would you be a dear to stand outside the door and wait for her team and tell them I will attend to them shortly. I need to speak to Nevada alone briefly." Dr. Grey instructed and Locus followed suit without any argument.

"Give it to me straight Doc, how fucked up am I now that I have gone through this? I can still barely remember how this even happened, but I guess my head hurting is a sign that it's making its way back?" Nevada asked. Dr. Grey sighed.

"Well silly, you aren't fucked. I can make it a point to have appointments with you to measure your progress if you would like, where we discuss one on one the things that you feel are bothering you, or things that you are adjusting to with this entire situation. Transitioning from one trauma like this can be difficult to say the least, and counseling is sometimes a necessary thing to make you feel yourself...a new self rather, again." Dr. Grey explained. "I cannot give you a prognosis after one visit, but judging from the resilience you are exemplifying, you seem as though you are adjusting well, however I need you to advocate for me for your team, we found while you were asleep that protocol with the AI was broken and Arizona's AI confided that they all actually in fact have memories repressed as well and other aliases they were once before. I can assist you all, but there needs to be a sense of trust, and you as their leader would be the best one to extend that trust to me to take care of them." Dr. Grey summed up. Nevada nodded.

"Of course. I care about the well-being of all the members on my team and if they have any desire of unlocking those memories I want them to be able to receive all the help you are willing to extend to me to them. I can handle myself fine, I want them to receive most of your attention. I have Felix and Locus back in my life and as awful as an image they have created for themselves, they care for who is in their circle. Carolina and I seem to be similar and dissimilar enough that I feel like she can help me as well. I want my team to feel as welcomed as I do and if you ignoring my needs is necessary, I need it done." Nevada said with finality. "If I need your assistance, I will most certainly seek it."

"Sounds like a plan. You guys are going to have a huge role in our group therapy tomorrow as well, as it will get you all better acquainted with the rest of our own crew here and help foster more copacetic environment for when we retrieve their memories." Dr. Grey said with reassurance.

"After I debrief them, I want to go find Wash and go see Felix..." Nevada expressed. Dr. Grey hummed in disapproval.

"Probably not the best idea with everything going on, especially with the stress your body has endure the last 24 hours, you need to rest hun." She answered. With that answer Nevada let the subject drop and Dr. Grey told Locus to let everyone else in.

She saw all of her team and their relieved faces made her feel at ease. Arizona hung back as Kansas and Missouri both hugged Nevada and fawned over Felix's tragic love story earlier while she was asleep. Nevada's face flushed red and she saw Arizona's demeanor falter as she tried to dodge her female companions questions prodding for answers about Felix.

"Another time I'll gossip with you guys, but we have other things to attend to." Nevada cleared her throat. "I'd like everyone to turn to Dr. Grey, she is an amazing physician and uh as I had the pleasure of learning earlier this evening has a plethora of other skills, including but not limited to psychology and technology. She has offered to help not only me with this sudden resurgence of memory but assist us in finding a way to acquire all of your memories safely and be here in the transition into either becoming your old self, or rebuilding." Nevada pitched.

"How would you be helping us?" Oregon spoke up.

"I could either help you guys through methods of hypnosis, or perhaps if there are files stored in an off=site facility or database, retrieve them in a stealthy fashion to have better means of assisting adjustment." Dr. Grey answered.

"Think you can use our communications link to the Elysium and download our backgrounds and see if there are any encrypted files that may have been stored with them when we were frozen, all the while not getting caught?" Illinois asked.

"All incognito."

"I'm in for that." Ohio said.

"By a show of hand, how many of you have AI installed?" Dr. Grey asked. Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Oklahoma raised their hands. "With all of you, excluding Nevada, I could reprogram your AI's in a matter of minutes to hours, to redirect your memories in storage in certain neurons to be reintegrated back into your mind. It may leave you as stunned as Nevada was when Felix had triggered her initial flood, but it would be more effective than hypnosis or jogging your memory haphazardly, like Nevada." Dr. Grey cheerfully pointed out. "For the others who do not, I would like your most computer savvy personnel to assist me with setting up the incognito transfer of data from the Elysium, and we can work on digging like that, and hopefully make some progress. If not I am great at being an improviser." she concluded. Nevada smiled and sighed in relief as she began speaking directly with Illinois and Ohio about a way to hack the Elysium.

"Hey," Arizona sat beside Nevada. She looked up with a start. "I am glad you are feeling better." He said. Nevada locked eyes with him and felt pangs of guilt wash over her. Her stomach tied in knots as she tried to find the words to speak to him. In this moment she realized what being split between her two selves was going to really mean.

"I am too. Thank you for being here for me. It means the world." She replied finally.

She realized it isn't about her at all. It's about her two worlds colliding.

Felix and Arizona.


	18. 17) Group Therapy

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

 _ **Group Therapy**_

Dr. Grey went around to the makeshift barracks and knocked on the doors at about 6 in the morning. There were some who were already awake, by chance or they were on duty. Locus was one of these and Carolina was as well. Dr. Grey discharged Nevada from the infirmary and had her go ahead and get her team outside for the session.

Dr. Grey had requested Locus to wake up Tucker while she managed Caboose and Washington. Carolina walked past her ahead to Wash's space.

"Where are you going Carolina?" Dr. Grey inquired.

"You can get the others, I'm gonna give Wash a wake up call worthy of needing this therapy." Carolina replied.

Nevada stood with her arms crossed as her and her crew stood there awaiting this probable nonsense to get the ball rolling. Oklahoma stood on her right and Arizona to her left. Since last night she couldn't look Arizona in the eyes. She stood in silent, deep thought, until she heard crackling from inside the makeshift blue base and a yowling noise that sounded vaguely like Agent Washington.

"Oh-kay." Nevada turned her attention to Dr. Grey, Carolina, the other blues and a very pissed off Washington coming out of the base. "Everything ok?" Nevada asked.

"Super." Carolina answered in her bored tone with her arms crossed.

"Yeah what she said." Wash growled.

"Agent Washington, I sent Locus to get the reds, would you mind going and fetching Felix?" Dr. Grey asked. Washington sighed.

"I'll go with you." Nevada volunteered and was already at least two strides ahead of him. She and Wash made it far enough out of ear shot before she muttered "anything to not feel like I'm bothering Arizona...". They made it into the base only a corridor or so away from where Felix was being held.

"Did uh, you and Arizona-" Washington asked.

"Yup." Nevada answered. "Just gonna keep that short and sweet. Yeah we did, and now I have my memory back and I'm not exactly who I was with either of them." she finished. Washington nodded.

"Uh huh." He said awkwardly.

Felix heard the footsteps down the corridor and his heart soared seeing Nevada.

"Well good morning. What am I owed this lovely surprise?" He didn't really care what the answer was, just happy to see the only person here he really wanted to see.

"Dr. Grey has decreed we all have a group therapy session, and she has extended to invite to our number one prisoner." Nevada answered him sarcastically. Wash handed the keys to Nevada and Felix stood up in his cell.

"And here I thought you guys hated me." Felix directed at Wash as Nevada used one of the keys to unlock his cuffs.

"That's kinda why you're being invited. It's called therapy dear." Nevada handed the keys back to Wash. Felix picked his helmet back up and slipped it back on.

"What about me makes you think I need therapy?" Felix asked what Wash was hoping was sarcasm, because he could pull five reasons out of his ass at that moment that would have answered that question.

"Everything." Nevada answered with as much enthusiasm as Wash answered with contempt.

"Ouch guys."

Felix and Nevada walked besides one another with their arms around each others waist, and Washington walked behind them. They exited the base and found that everyone had formed one large circle as was sitting cross legged.

Doc and Dr. Grey sat beside one another, and from Dr. Grey's right Carolina sat, one empty spot that Washington took the opportunity to take, then Tucker, Caboose and Locus. After Locus Montana began the line that was nothing but Project Revenant members. Montana, Oregon, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nevada took her cue to come back to her designated spot between him and Arizona, and finally Alabama. Oklahoma moved beside Arizona to keep more space between him and Felix. Where Alabama ended the Project Revenant crew, Grif started the red team line up. Following him was Simmons, Sarge, Donut, Lopez, and then finally Doc.

"OK it looks like EVERYONE is HERE!" Dr. Grey said optimistically. "Now that it seems as though we are all present and accounted for, let's go ahead and begin! I have the speaking ball, who would like to volunteer?" Dr. Grey was answered with what sounded like crickets chirping in the distance. A few cleared their throats and avert their attention from her gestures offering the ball. "Well, if no one would like to volunteer, perhaps I shall start voluntelling..."

"I'll start." Carolina sighed.

"Excellent!" Dr. Grey tossed the ball to Carolina. Carolina looked over at Washington, and Blue team.

"I just want to say that I am sorry. I am sorry that I became of little help around the base when Epsilon was pronounced deleted, and I realize my attitude can go south rather quickly. I apologize for being short with you or getting angry, even if some of us deserved it...A little." Carolina looked directly at Wash with her final statement. Washington held his hands up to indicate he wanted the ball next.

"Me next." he said as Carolina took the hint and handed him the ball. Wash cleared his throat. "I am sorry for trying to undermine the importance of reconstructing Epsilon for you Carolina. It took longer than it should have for me to realize that it meant so much to you to get him back, and I am sorry for not including you in important information. Even if I still feel justified that I kinda made the right decision." Carolina gently punched his shoulder. Tucker reached over Caboose and grabbed the ball from Washington and cleared his throat.

"Hi, for the new people, I am Lavernius Tucker, and I really don't have any issues I care to really talk about except for like two. One; I am sorry Wash if I bitch a lot during training. It's just that, your training exercises suck and having awesome calves blows. Two; is no one else really concerned with us welcoming Felix back as if he never stabbed us in the back and tried to kill us?" Tucker gestured towards the merc. "I mean, not that I am not for second chances and shit, but dude, at least Locus went from being a bad guy to helping us when Felix fucking lost it in the purge temple. Felix gained our trust amongst the New Republic and turned bad. What the fuck? How are we supposed to trust you?" Tucker asked brazenly as he usually would have. Felix held his hands up for the ball.

"Go ahead and pass it to me and I'll rectify this." Felix said. Caboose muttered something about how it seemed wrong for Felix to say that since "No one wants their rectify played with" and Wash had to correct him about the difference between a 'rectum' and the word 'rectify'. Tucker passed the speaking ball over to Felix who caught it above his head.

"I feel like you all know who I am by this point, so no need for introduction. Listen, Tucker, I understand what you are addressing. It's an elephant in the room, for sure, and I can't expect to have trust just given back after everything I had done. I was a monster, I was _really_ a dick. I'm personally shocked you of all people haven't tried to just shoot me." He began and took in another deep breath. "I haven't done anything to earn anyone's trust here, except Sam's. Even then, I was a different man then as well. With the gravity of my presence weighing in on this group I know all too well it my responsibility to move forward with reparations of the incredibly tattered image I have made for myself. If it is any consolation, I hated working for that prick Hargrove and if I were you guys, I'd hate me too." Felix tucked the ball under one arm and reached out for Nevada's hand beside him and held it. "Being here with Sam again had me thinking about how it was my fault that she is even on Chorus in the first place. Had I not invited her into Locus and I's profession she would not have been arrested and inevitably ended up here partaking in this clusterfuck. The fact she ended up having her memories reconstructed and hidden from her and she went from being this almost no good Samantha to this respected leader and woman known to her crew as Sierra is remarkable, and with how she puts her crew and from what I can see all of you, above her own benefit, I want to ask that, perhaps, the kind of faith you are putting in with her you could also give me. Trust that my feelings for her are stronger than any selfish desire I could possibly have, any passing whim, or stupid fancy that would jeopardize being with her. Believe me when I say I am not here to ruin my good thing again." Felix concluded squeezing Nevada's hand.

Simmons and Donut both sniffled and tried to wipe their eyes.

"That was...so touching." Simmons whimpered. Grif scoffed.

"Pussy..." Grif's voice cracked.

"Well, I expected a wordy response, but damn I didn't see that coming." Tucker responded. Nevada took the ball from Felix and seized her moment to keep the ball rolling.

"So, because I feel like I didn't get to actually be formerly introduced, I am Agent Sierra Nevada of Project Revenant, or Samantha Harper, former Bounty Hunter for hire. Contrary to what might be assumed, I have no issues to reconcile today. I want to express my gratitude to the Reds and the Blues, to the Freelancers, and to Dr. Grey for the assistance we are receiving, and I would like to point out how excited my crew and I are to be fighting besides you instead of against you." She paused. "I would also like to address to my team, that despite the recent experience with my AI and my former identity surfacing, that I am still the Nevada you have known, I want to continue to lead you guys with a sense of purpose, and fight to get our lives back from those ass-holes we have worked for." She squeezed Felix's hand hard before speaking again. "I also would hope that you guys welcome Felix, and help reconstruct the future he has here with us." Oklahoma leaned over to Felix and placed his arm over his shoulder in a sign of solidarity, and Arizona redirected his gaze as he watched Nevada actively pick the old lover not only right before his eyes, but the eyes of what is the general population now.

"Hello, I am Oklahoma, and I approve this message." He chuckled.

"Thanks man." Felix said in response laughing it off. Alabama began to flail his arms in the air wildly.

"Ball please! Me! Me!" He chanted. Nevada passed the ball over to Alabama and he announced his joyous "Yes!". Alabama collected himself and began his turn. "I just kinda wanted to apologize on the behalf of the small portion of our team that kidnapped the Reds when we arrived. And for Oklahoma shooting your car radio."

"I wouldn't have shot it had you just turned it down!" Oklahoma retorted.

"Turn down for WHAT!" Alabama chimed, trying to entice Oklahoma into being ok with this phrase he has adopted recently.

"Hey, Wannabe Freelancer, pass me that there speaking ball!" Sarge called. Alabama passed him the ball as if he were shooting at a basketball hoop. Simmons and Grif were already sighing and rolling their eyes and heads in anticipation for the stupid that was going to befall them. Sarge took a longer moment to clear his throat.

"I gotta say, at first, I though this whole shindig was going to be like Pompeii had a child with a trainwreck, but I was wrong. It's been like some kind of feel good reality TV show or some shit. I don't know whether or not I should feel good that we are all getting along at this moment, or bad because it just feels so unnatural. I want to unapologetically tell Grif he is a lazy, good for nothing fat-ass, demean Simmons with ruthless orders of menial tasks I could do with my eyes closed, tell Lopez to shut the fuck up and learn English, and beat Donut senseless until he admits his armor is fucking pink!" Sarge rambled in one breath. He sighed in relief.

"Feel better sir?" Simmons asked.

"Did I ask you to check on my well being Simmons!?" Sarge retorted.

"That's a yes." Grif groaned.

" _Dios Mio. Eres todo disfuncional y estúpido._ " Lopez said.

"Right Lopez! We do get along so well!" Donut replied, not understanding at all what Lopez said was actually totally negative and not endearing.

"Do none of you speak Spanish?" Kansas called across the circle.

"I speak a little of it!" Donut announced.

" _No no, sucio mentiroso."_ Lopez accosted Donut's claim.

" _Hablo a español bien. Qué usted confiar en mí de ahora en adelante. ¿Suena bien?"_ Kansas explained she speaks Spanish better than Donut. Donut gave a small, shrill shriek of surprise.

"Aw, does this mean I am no longer going to be Lopez's personal translator?" Donut whined.

" _Muchos Gracias Dios!"_ Lopez announced.

"I have to say, that with the way all of you have been in the past, I didn't expect this to be as successful as it has been. I am so happy that this has turned out so well, and that I am already seeing a marvelous improvement in morale. I appreciate you all for taking this as seriously as you did, and for cooperating. I'd say the session is adjourned." Dr. Grey said.

"Adjourned?" Doc said.

"Over." Dr. Grey sighed.

"Oooh."

* * *

 **Sorry/Not sorry with how long it took to get this out because I work two retail jobs and it's the holidays! lol  
I also wanted to work well on it, I felt like this was exactly what I needed to clarify things, or push things forward, and also balance it with some pieces of what will be humor in continuity. **

**As always, I greatly appreciate the views, the follows, and reviews! Please if you liked something/hated something LET ME KNOW :)  
~Sahara**


	19. 18) The Born-Again Identity

**Chapter Eighteen**

 **The Born- Again Identity**

Nevada and the rest of Project Revenant all stood in the infirmary with Dr. Grey.

"OK! So I am glad that we all got the whole introduction thing sorted out yesterday, so today I'm going to need to have the most tech savvy individuals of your team with me to the temple with all the alien technology I could use to help gain all your memories back safely and retrieve your old selves." Dr. Grey explained. "So who would be accompanying me?" Illinois and Ohio both raised their hands. "Excellent! Now if you could help me pack up all the tools I need here from this infirmary and the unit with Church's AI in it, that'd be great! We can get a move on whenever we get it all moved to the Warthog!" Dr. Grey elaborated in her singsong voice. "Everyone else is dismissed!"

Nevada hung around for a moment, eyes fixed on a point that she didn't even register as her mind was elsewhere. Arizona paused in the doorway.

"You coming boss?" He asked. She snapped out of it and collected herself and headed out of the room with not a word. Arizona strolled beside her. "You alright?" He asked, sounding genuine.

"That's a difficult question to answer." Nevada answered curtly.

"I mean yeah you just were re-introduced to yourself, but you haven't exactly been yourself either..."

"How does one expect that of someone who hasn't been themselves in years, Arizona? When Dr. Grey finds her back door through the AI, you'll know how I'm feeling and why I don't exactly feel 'alright'." Nevada picked up pace in her stride. "I'm gonna go back to our ship and grab some ammo and contact command and keep them off our asses."

"We have enough ammo here, why are you making an unnecessary trip by yourself again?" Arizona asked.

"We don't have enough. I need to go blow off steam and I plan on blowing through a good portion in some target practice." Nevada took a turn and exited the base leaving Arizona speechless and still in the corridor, awkwardly sighing and trying to find where his small talk went wrong.

* * *

Locus stood on the ceiling of the base with Felix, looking out over the crash site and keeping a semi-vigilant eye on the surroundings. They knew they were the most threatening thing on Chorus for the time being until Charon decided that landing troops or pirates might be a decent move. Locus observed Samantha strut to Warthog and get in, crank it up, and drive off towards their crash site at FAC 22. Locus turned to Felix to see how he would react now.

"Not going to question her leaving without saying anything?" Locus asked. Felix shrugged.

"I know where Sam and I stand. I don't know where Nevada and I are though. If that makes any sense." Felix sighed. "I'm not going to bother her, or be at her side 24/7, I'm not that needy." he added. "I don't need this constant reassurance that we are a thing because I understand that she and I both aren't the same person we were when we were separated. She can handle her own much better now, after seeing her against Carolina and the fact she seems to be handling two AI fine. I'm not worried about Sam." Felix rambled a bit.

"Yes you are." Locus replied.

"Ok maybe I am a little but seriously I'm not insecure about it! If she wants to go off on her own and blow off some steam without me that's ok! I am only concerned about how she's adjusting to having basically two lives come together as one at the moment. I want to help but I don't know exactly how."

"It is amusing watching you care again when you were rather heartless before all this." Locus chuckled.

"Oh shut up."

* * *

"I still don't like that we just let Felix walked the fuck back into the picture like he didn't try to kill us." Tucker spat. Carolina had her arms crossed and was leaning against the wall of their debriefing room in the makeshift base. She glanced over at Washington who's shoulders were slumped over, showing signs of stress even more than usual.

"Listen, I know, and I hear you, and you'll get first go at saying 'I told you so' if he turns on us again, but seriously, I doubt something is going to happen. He seems to be totally in love with Agent Nevada, and Locus is probably ready to turn on him the second that happens." Washington implored.

"You don't just go from being a manipulative mercenary douchebag to some Born-again hero just cause your long lost girlfriend has suddenly reappeared and suddenly suffers some amnesia like personality disorder because you reared your ugly face at the worst possible time."

"Tell us how you really feel Tucker." Carolina said sarcastically.

"I'm just saying, that had Freelancer Dos point-0 not shown up, he would still be our enemy and we could take him out." Tucker elaborated. Wash became visibly irritated.

"Yeah but Tucker that's not what's going on is it? Project Revenant landed, Felix's long lost girlfriend suffered an identity crisis, we are all working together, and at the end of the day we got something against Charon and Malcolm's fucking legacy. We are all working together, even if the adhesive holding allies together is peeling off or having a hard time sticking for some of us-" Wash paused to single out Tucker. "-we are in it together, whether or not you like it." Wash finished before exiting the debriefing room.

"Damn." Tucker said. Carolina shook her head and left the room as well, but headed for the roof.

Washington kept walking briskly until he came across Arizona leaning in the doorway leading outside.

"Hey, Arizona right?" Wash asked.

"Yeah?"

"You know where Nevada is at? I needed to talk to her." Wash followed up.

"She took the Warthog to our crashed Pelican to get more ammunition." Arizona summed up neutrally. Wash looked past him where the Warthog _was_ parked.

"Fuck, son of a bitch. Today isn't my damn day." Wash threw his hands up and just continued walking to his bunk, leaving Arizona baffled as he was before.

"The fuck is in the water here?" He muttered.

* * *

Carolina was surprised to see Locus and Felix having what appeared to be a civilized game of "I spy" on the roof.

"Well I don't know what I was expecting, but I sure wasn't expecting this." Carolina grumbled just a bit.

"Oh hey Carolina, care to come join us in a game?" Felix asked, genuinely inviting her to take part in some childish past time with him and probably the most silent merc she had ever met. Seriously even Maine made more noise than him some days.

She thought about what Wash said about every one here having it out for Charon, and how they were fighting for the same thing, regardless of what past behaviors had been exhibited that we need to give new allies a chance, and it made her wonder that if she had been fully on board with these two herself, or had she been so wrapped up in missing Epsilon that she didn't care to delve deeper into that introspection. Now that Epsilon has been partially recovered she realized she didn't even form much of an opinion for or against these guys when Wash brought it up. Tucker was speaking loud enough for the both of them against Wash.

Maybe she should trust Wash's observation.

"Why not? I got nothing to lose." Carolina said taking a seat next to Locus.

"Awesome. So I spy something fat and yellow." Felix started.

"Grif."

"Damn your good Carolina."

* * *

Nevada parked the Warthog and patrolled the Pelican crash site. She walked over to the rock formation where she and Arizona had their moment, where Felix supposedly had hid out and observed her. She looked around and found the rock he had, probably, hid behind and wondered if she had been slipping.

She went back to the Pelican and loaded all the ammo she could find into the Warthog. The afternoon was waning when she made it a point to climb into the Cockpit of the Pelican and make communications with the Elysium.

"Pelican we read you." Someone in the comm room responded.

"This is Agent Nevada with Project Revenant. Put me through to the captain."

"Good to hear you Nevada. Sure thing." he responded. She crossed her arms and waited for her comm screen to present her with the Captain, who was about to be on the receiving end of her best performance ever.

Finally his face flashed on the screen.

"Good to finally hear from you Agent Nevada. You'd been neglecting communications the last few days. Rather concerning." He nagged.

"We went undercover. Forgive me for having to be convincing. I had to improvise." She responded.

"Oh good. So you plan on taking them out from the inside after all? Alabama should be happy." The Captain tried to joke. Nevada chuckled.

"The 'I told you so's keep on coming from him." She confirmed.

"I expect steady communication from you in the future. You are clearly able to separate yourself long enough to come back here on your own to do it. I expect nothing less from the CO." He stated. Nevada nodded.

"This time next week I can come back and give a status report, when there is better status to give." She added.

"Excellent. I'll hear from you then." He turned off his comms and she sighed and got up angrily. She left the Pelican and kicked the side of it, leaving a noticeable dent in it and got back into the Warthog and drove back to Blue Base.

* * *

Carolina was kicking both of Locus and Felix's asses at this game of I spy. Seems as though hanging out in the same place long enough gives you the upper hand. She saw the Warthog in the distance and decided she had the next target for her turn.

"I spy someone's girlfriend." She said slyly and Felix immediately stood up excitedly and checked through his scopes.

"She left rather unexpectedly earlier. I'm gonna go see how she's doing." elix said as he headed down from the roof through the base.

"Sooooo, what do you spy?" Carolina asked Locus.

"I spy something blue, and incompetent."

"Oh, that's a tough one."

* * *

Felix was by the parking area, along with Dr. Grey and an exhaustive looking Illinois and Ohio waiting on the Warthog. Nevada hopped out of the vehicle and Felix had silently began helping her unload the ammo, not asking any questions as Dr. Grey was talking the other pairs' ears off.

Finally Nevada saw them off and yanked some of the ammo for two of her firearms and loaded them up.

"Going to blow off some steam?" Felix finally asked.

"Mhm. I need to clear my head before I go and talk to Oklahoma and the others about what I had to arrange with command." Nevada said slamming a magazine into a pistol.

"Where are you going shooting?" Felix asked.

"I was thinking of making some targets over in the cave. It's well covered and no one seems to want to go in there anyways." She answered.

"Mind if I tag along?" Felix asked even toned. Nevada peered up at him, looked down at the pistol she just loaded and tossed it up to him. "Take that as a yes please." He said coyly. She laughed a bit and they both headed over to the caves.

After Nevada got the targets set up she took the first few shots, then let Felix go.

"So who am I having the pleasure of shooting with at the moment?" Felix asked cryptically. Nevada laughed sarcastically.

"I don't even know. That's why I am shooting." She answered taking another shot and hitting a bullseye.

"I sure as hell can't pretend that I know what you're going through, but I can tell you that I am in it with you. I get it. You're scared, you're confused, you feel like everyone expects you to be who they know you to be instead of who you happen to be now. They have a lens they see you through and now the lens is cracked and everyone's scrambling to find a replacement lens with the same prescription and that lens isn't going to cut it until people around you realize you're still you. Its like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. Just because you are unrecognizable at times doesn't mean you weren't who you used to be." Felix explained taking a few more shots. "Damn I can't aim for shit today."

"The thing is I don't even recognize myself. The similarities have blended together and the differences are conflicting and I know that my team is going to experience this awful feeling as well and how good can we be to anyone in battle when we are battling ourselves?" Nevada choked. Felix holstered the pistol and walked over to her.

"I'm battling the first impression I left these guys with, and I am back here and being given another chance, and I'd be damned if I don't fight to keep this place I am at. If I can fight off the urge to call up Charon and ask for my job back, fuck shit up for cash against guys that I at first didn't like, you can make it through becoming a you that _you_ that not only you can accept, everyone will." Felix insisted.

"I'm glad I was never aware of how badly I missed your uncanny ability to put words to my silence." She said.

"I missed it enough for the both of us. Keep shooting I see you're already feeling better, and kicking my ass at this." Felix said stepping aside and letting her get some more frustration out before heading back to the base.

* * *

"Tucker this isn't difficult. I spy something lightish red." Carolina said through clenched teeth. Her, Locus, Tucker, and Washington were now all playing I spy on the roof.

"The hell around here is _lightish_ red?" Tucker nearly became shrill in his frustration. Simmons and Grif entered the roof area, slightly baffled by who and where they finally found everyone.

"We came to see if you guys had started any dinner since Sarge hasn't. What're you all doing?" Simmons asked.

"This better be more important than dinner, and that's going to be difficult to top." Grif added.

"Playing I spy." Carolina answered, actually sounding somewhat chipper.

"Oh cool what'd you spy?" Simmons asked.

"Something fucking _lightish_ red!" Tucker said frustrated. "I can't find it!"

"Donut!" Grif and Simmons answered at the same time.

"Thank you!" Carolina celebrated. "Told you it wasn't that hard Tucker."

"What the fuck ever! His armor is PINK."

* * *

 **I am sorry about the long hiatus I took guys! Life caught up to me hard this semester and I had to cut back some of my past times! I promise I'll be better about my updates in the future :) I'd GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK YOU GIVE ME!  
** **Hope you enjoyed this chapter :) ~Sahara**


	20. 19) Partners in Crime Part 1

Chapter Nineteen

Partners in Crime Part One

Nevada sat in the debriefing room with Carolina, Oklahoma Washington, Locus, Felix and Tucker as Dr. Grey communicated with them via the radio.

"So. Its been two days and Ohio and Illinois already found a way to access the databases on the Elysium and pull data without being noticed, and while they were doing that I developed a device that alters encrypted protocol with Charon's AI units!" Dr. Grey announced.

"That was fast" Nevada and Carolina both said in unison.

"Yes! So much more helpful when you have assistants!" Dr. Grey said and the other two were heard groaning in the background. Oklahoma stifled laughter and Nevada hit his arm.

"Well, I guess this is excellent news. So should we fix up the one Warthog here and send members of the team to you or you guys relocate here?" Washington asked.

"Hmmm...judging by the size of the equipment probably best if you came to us." Dr. Grey answered.

"Alright, when the vehicle is ready we'll send everyone up with Carolina as back up. Sound good?" Wash said as Carolina gave a confused hand gesture.

"Sounds great! Over!" Dr. Grey cut her mic.

"I was just volunteered for something we didn't even go into knowing was even happening." Carolina kind of growled.

"You know Nevada has a word for that and it's 'volun-told'. That totally just happened to you." Oklahoma said pointing to her.

"Because that makes me feel better." Carolina replied.

"I mean, I wasn't trying." Oklahoma shrugged.

"Either way I can't just send them without back up, and Felix or Locus wouldn't be available for it because there is another plan involving them." Wash said.

"Well this is news to us." Felix said surprised crossing his arms.

"Don't speak for me. Even when it's true." Locus added, directed at Felix.

"So Wash, what exactly are these plans and pray tell when you were going to inform us?" Felix emphasized 'us' just for Locus's sake.

"Well, the plan is for Locus to remain here with me and hold down fort and help train everyone here and inform us of the way Charon likes to run things with their hired guns. Tucker was actually going to be escorting you with a team that Kimball has sent out here per my request to move you to the HQ you are oh so familiar with in order to be assessed and assist with training there." Wash elaborated. "Before you argue with me I went over this with not only Carolina before making that call but also with Nevada." he quickly added.

"We feel as though you and Tucker could use some one-on-one quality time, and that you both could benefit by getting some stuff prepped at home base for when we decide to relocate there, because it appears as though we are not getting off this rock any day soon. UNSC still needs more time and more evidence as to what has been occurring before they send us reinforcements." Carolina immediately looked at Tucker and held eye contact the entire first half of her explanation.

"OK. I can kind of see this." Felix groaned. "Sam?"

"I don't disagree with them about what you could do to help Kimball. It sounds like there is some insanely deep wounds that need to be stitched up, but I believe that can be done and this could be a beneficial beginning to that venture. Also, you would be able to testify to the UNSC better there than with us here, and they are not ready for Project Revenant's reveal yet until we have all been treated by Dr. Grey, and when I have compiled my own case file for them. Until then, you could very well assist in putting pieces to the puzzle together there for them." Nevada spoke calmly. "I would later join you there with the rest of us as we have all planned." She said, in a much more gentler tone.

"Understood." Felix responded more complacently.

"Any further questions? Comments? Concerns?" Wash asked. Tucker raised his hand and Wash heaved a deep sigh. "Not from you Tucker." Wash retracted.

"No dude seriously, legit question." Tucker said evenly.

"What is it then?"

"Who's coming to pick up Felix and I?" Tucker asked confused. As if on cue a small crashing sound came from outside and a younger male voice shouted " _JENSEN!_ ".

"No." Washington said.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Tucker said. Felix was nodding.

"Yup. This is gonna be a great road trip, isn't it Tucker?" Felix threw in.

"I fucking hate you all." Tucker said getting up. "Well, what are you waiting for an invitation? Let's get this over with..." He said addressing Felix.

"I'll just take my time. Invite probably got lost in the mail." Felix replied as he got up and headed over to Nevada, gave her a kiss and slipped his helmet back on to follow Tucker out to the Warthog and see what damage had been done.

"I gotta ask..." Carolina addressed Nevada.

"What?" Nevada acknowledged.

"How did a girl like yourself ever end up with a guy like him?" Carolina asked genuinely baffled.

"That's a long story..."

Tucker shut the hood to the Warthog after he doused the flames.

"Palomo, why'd you let Jensen drive? And how the actual fuck did you guys even make it this far without her crashing and killing you both?"

"Well, you see, Jensen is an excellent freaking mechanic, so every time she crashed, she'd just fix it. She got further and further each time so I didn't wanna take that away from her, you know?" Palomo explained as Jensen was already inspecting the scorched vehicle.

"No. I don't know. I don't give the wheel over to a terrible driver who is poster child for women having sub-par driving skills." Tucker answered critically as Felix laughed with his arms crossed. "I'm glad you find our potential death by shit driving humorous, ass-hole." Tucker snapped at Felix.

"How about I drive?" Palomo offered.

"No, no, no. If you want something done right you have to do it yourself." Tucker replied. "I'll do it. With you and Jensen in the back of the Warthog."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Felix said coolly. Tucker threw his head back and sighed deeply.

"This is going to be a long fucking road trip." Tucker said to himself.

Carolina and Nevada went to see Tucker and Felix off while on the top of the base.

"You feel like telling that long story?" Carolina asked as the Warthog started to pull away. Nevada sighed.

"So, way back before I met Felix and Locus, I was a bounty hunter who specialized in acquiring wanted criminals." Nevada started.

"Sweet gig." Carolina replied crossing her arms.

"The UNSC only paid me so much to do what I did, it got pretty stale at some point, especially because I had to go undercover quite a bit to get to who I was chasing. That's how I met them, actually."

"Oh?" Carolina said. "That takes a whole new meaning to on the job romance." Nevada laughed heartily.

"You could say that again."

 _Sam carefully kept her eye on her targets through the bouncing crowd in the dance club. From what she could observe one of them was having a much better time at the bar than the other. The reluctance could practically be felt from across the dance floor to the bar. She began moving closer, weaving through the crowd, within eyesight of the bar where her targets were._

 _"_ Of all the places I could find a pair of mercs, a damn club... _" She thought to herself. She tried to remain as natural as possible and danced, poorly, where she was most comfortable keeping an eye on them._

 _"I have a bad feeling about us being here spending this payment, Felix." Locus stated. Felix took a large swig of his beer and sighed._

 _"Lighten up, when's the last time we went out and did something fun?" Felix asked._

 _"Our last job was kind of fun." Locus groaned._

 _"Don't lie to me, you know robbing that UNSC cargo ship was too easy." Felix retorted._

 _"No, I am talking about threatening the guys who hired us to give us the agreed upon amount." Locus clarified. Felix slammed his fist down._

 _"THAT was fun. I'll give you that. But I mean when's the last time we spent money on fun that wasn't our weapons, huh?" Felix followed up. "Let's live a little!" he added. Locus shook his head as Felix down the rest of his drink._

 _"You live, I am going to bed, I'm going back to our room." Locus said paying his tab._

 _"Aw c'mon really?" Felix said dejectedly. "Its not like the room is far. Its like 2 floors up. Just relax and cut loose for a while!"_

 _"Have fun cutting loose." Locus said patting him on the shoulder walking way._

 _"Fine! I will." Felix said ordering another drink from the bar._

 _"_ Fuck! One left!" _Sam thought. "_ I'll just have to move in faster then." _Sam started weaving through the dancing throng of people over to the bar._

 _"Hey there," Sam nearly slammed into the bar stool besides Felix._

 _"Hey there yourself." He replied. "Pretty forward for a pretty lady." he followed up. Sam brushed the statement away, certainly not the first time nor the last she'll hear the chauvinistic compliment._

 _"So I've been told." She said coyly, then ordered a rum and coke. "So what's a fella like yourself doing over here all on your own? No pals here with you?"_

 _"Nah, my friend bailed on me a little while ago, actually, so nice timing." He said smoothly. Sam was finding him harder to read than other bounties she's gone after. She couldn't detect any nervousness, or suspicion from him. He was calm, cool and far too collected to be the person that was described in her dossier._

 _"I take pride in my timing, heard I get it just right pretty often." Sam said as flirtatiously as possible. All she had to manage to do was keep this small talk going long enough, get him on his own, arrest him and collect the bounty from the UNSC..._

 _"Time is a weird construct isn't it?" He said, and from what Sam could detect, with a genuine inflection and desire to talk about it.._

 _"I suppose it is, but it's not terribly complex." Sam replied taking a sip of her drink. "After all, its just whatever the clock reads, right?"_

 _"OR calendar. It's just funny how we've constructed this way of measuring how much time passes and its hilarious sometimes how it doesn't feel at accurate. Either life moves too fast, or too slow. It's never just the right pace, and its usually never the right time to try anything, but you have to give it a shot anyways, right?" Felix rambled taking a long sip of his drink. Sam started to tense._

 _"That's one way of looking at it I suppose." She replied, starting to recognize the person described in the dossier._

 _"So you've got a pretty nice side piece there." Felix said gesturing to her concealed weapon on her leg._

 _"Ha. This old thing..." She tried to play it off to no avail._

 _"Listen, I know what the UNSC has on me, but I'll tell you what," He said in a hushed enough tone for no one else to hear him. He leaned in closer to Sam. "I can tell you what time it isn't, and it's not your time to bring or Locus in, but, you look like an intelligent woman." He followed up as he leaned back in his seat casually crossing his arms. Sam looked at him incredulously._

 _"What're you trying to bargain?" Sam asked, never letting her hand leave her side piece._

 _"I'm trying to offer you money that's better than whatever they pay you to take in guys like me. You ever thought about going to the Dark side? We have more fun to be honest." He chuckled. "You'd make tons more money, meet interesting people, travel across the stars..." Felix described, all the while sweeping his hand as he emphasized 'stars.' Sam just couldn't look away from him, still starring incredulously at this merc in front of her who had the audacity and intellect to flip the switch on her on this assignment._

 _"I'm not sure of what you are entirely asking..." Sam managed to get out._

 _"I can show you the world, shinning shimmering splend-" Felix tried to sing off key._

 _"Ok, ok I get it please don't quote a Disney film from god knows how long ago." Sam struggled to not laugh._

 _"You see my point though? What do those stiffs know about how you do your job? What all goes into it? The personal risks that you have to take. You'd be your own boss..." Felix was still trying to sell her on this. It was slowly setting in on Sam that this particular job wouldn't even pay off some of the debts she still had remaining._

 _"Where do I sign up? Is there a free trial subscription?" Sam chuckled._

 _"For you doll, why not." Felix said. Sam snagged the pair of cuffs she had hidden, clearly a lot better than the side piece, and slapped them to his wrist and the chair._

 _"Take back doll, and I'll take the cuffs off." Sam offered._

 _"AND you're freaky, this is gonna be great." Felix laughed it off already trying to yank his hand free._


End file.
